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1 

]L  I  B  R  A.  R  Y 

Theo 

logical    Seminary, 

PRINCETON,    N.    J. 

Shelf 
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,     sec 

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1 

«  .  ...'*• 


THE 


WORKS 


OF  THE 

3^t\i,  f oi)tt  laaitjerfpoon, 

D.  D.     L.   L.   D. 

LATE   PRESIDENT  OF  THE  COLLEGE,  AT  PRINCEJON   NEW-JKRSKY. 

TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED 

An  Account  of  the  Author's  Life,  in  a  Sermon  occafioned 

by  his  Deatli,  by  the 

Rev.  Dr.  JOHN  RODGERS, 

or  New  York. 

In  three  volumes. 

VOL.11. 


Printed  and  publiflied  by  William  W.  Woodward,  N*^.  17, 
Chefnut  near  Front  Street. 


1000. 
ICOPr  RIGHT  SECURED,^ 


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I  0000  OOOJ  OOOO  OOOO  OOM  OOOO  OOM  tOM  ffOM  OOOO  OOOO  0000  OOOO  OOOO  OOOO  6O0O  MOO  OOOO  0000  OQOO  00«0  OOOO  OOOft  000* 


CONTENTS 


S    £    R    M    O    N. 
Fervency  and  Importunity  in  Prayci** 

Cen.  xxxil.  26.     And  he   laM,  1  will  not  let  thee  go,  except 

thou  blel's  me.  ^ 

S     E    R     M     O     N. 

Obedience  and  facrifice  compared* 

I  Samuel  xv.  22.  Hatli  the  Lord  as  great  d<  Ii.>iit  in  burnt 
offering's  and  fncriliccs,  as  in  ol^eying  the  voice  oF  the  Lord  ? 
Behold,  to  obey,  is  better  than  faerifice;  and  to  bcarkeii, 
than  the  fat  of  rams  j4 

S     E    R     M    O    K. 

The  fecurity  of  thofe  who  trufl  In  God^ 

Prov.  xvill.  ID.     The  name  of  the  Lord  is   a  Orong  tower; 

the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  lafe  ^i 

SERMON. 

The  objed  of  a  Chrlftian's  defire  in  religious  wor- 

fliip. 

Exod.  xxxiii.  i3.     And  he  faid,  1  bjfcech  thee,  fliew  me  thy 

SERMON. 
The  glory  of  Chrift  in  his  humiliation. 

Ifaiah  Ixiii.  i.  fecond  claule — .  his  that  is  gloriJiis  in  his  appa^ 

rel,  travelling  in  the  greatnels  of  his  ftrengiji  l- %^ 

SERMON. 

The  deceitfulnefs  of  fin. 

Hebrews  ili.  13.  But  exhort  o  t  another  daily,  while  ir  is  call-. 
fd,  to-day  ;  led  any  cf  you  fiiould  be  liitdtLcd  iliroUj,h  the 
deceitfulnefs  uf  fin  j  jy 


[ 

Ar        3 

.xV 

R 

M    0 

N. 

SERMON.  Page, 

The  believer  going  to  God  as  his  exceeding  joy. 

Pfalm  xliii.  4.     Then  will  I  f,o  unto  the  altar  of  God,  unto 

God  my  exceeding  joy.  J49 

SERMON. 

The  Chriflian's  difpofition  under  a  fenfe  of  mercies 
received. 

Pfalm  cxvl.  7.    Return  unto  thy  refl,  O  my  foul,  for  the  Lord 

hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee  i6> 

SERMON. 
A  view  of  the  glory  of  God  humbling  to  the  foul. 

Job  xlii.  5.  6.     I  have  heard  of  thee   by  the  hearing  of  the 

car,  Sec.  195 

SERMON. 
Of  the  happlnefs  of  the  faints  in  heaven. 

Hcv.  vii.  15.     Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, 

and  ferve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple. —  2ig 

FAREWELL        SERMON, 

Delivered  at  Paislyj  in  April  and  May,  1768. 

Miniflerial  fidelity  in  declaring  the  whole  counfel 

of  God. 

Afls  XX.  26,  27.  Wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day, 
that  I  am  pure  from  the  bl'jod  of  all  men :  for  I  have  not 
fliunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counfel  of  God,  235 

SERMON. 

Miniflerial  chara6ler  and  duty. 

5  Cor.  IV.  13.     We  alfo  believe,  and  therefore  fpeak  285 

SERMON. 

Man  in  his  natural  flate. 

Rev.  iii,  17.     Becaufe  thou   fayefl  I  am  rich,  &c.  299 

SERMON. 

An  inducement  to  come  to  ChrifL 
K«Y«  iii»  17.     Becaufe  thou  fayeft  I  am  rich,  See.  3©5 


C    s    1 

SERMON.  Ptfga, 

Truft  in  God. 

Ifaiah  1.  lo.  Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that 
obcyeth  the  voice  of  his  feivant,  that  walketh  in  darknefs, 
and  hath  no  light  ?  let  him  truft  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
and  ftay  upon  ills  God.  319 

S    E    R     M    O    N» 
Truft  in  God. 

Kaiah  I.  10.     Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  8cc.       J29 

SERMON. 

On  the  Purity  of  the  heart. 

Proverbs  XXX.  7,  8,  9.     Two  things  have  I  required  of  thee, 

deny  me  them  not  before  I  die  :   &c.  "4^ 

SERMON. 

Seeking  a  competency  in  the  wifdom  of  Providence. 

Proverbs  xxx.  8.     Give  mf  neither  poverty,  nor  riches  :  ie  ed 

mc  with  food  convtnicnt  for  me  j6; 

SERMON. 

The  danger  of  profperity. 
Proverbs  xxx.  9.     Lel.1  I  be  full  and  deny  thee,  and  fay,  Sec.         37 j 

SERMON. 

The  danger  of  advcrfity. 

Proverbs  xxx.  9.   Left  1  be  poor  and  Iteal,  and  take  the  name 

of  my  God  in  vain  .g, 

SERMON. 

On  the  religious  education  of  children, 

'Mark  X.  13,  14}  IS)  16.  And  they  brought  young  children 
unto  him,  that  he  ftionld  touch  them,  and  his  difciples  re- 
buked thofe  that  brought  them.  See.  29 1 

SERMON. 

The  dominion  of  providence  over  the  paflions  of 

men. 
Pfalm  Ixxvi.  lo.     Surely  the  wrath  of  man  fhall  praife  thee  j 

the  remainder  of  wr^th  flialt  thou  rcftrain  407 


t     6     ] 

Addrefs  to  the  natives  of  Scotland,  refiding  &c.  437 

SERMON. 
Delivered  at  a  Public  Thankfgiving  after  Peace. 

Ffalm  iii.  8.     Salvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord.  45* 

SERMON. 

Seafonable  advice  to  young  perfons. 

Pfalm  i.  I.     Bleffed  is  the  man  that^walketh  not  &;c.  4.8^ 

SERMON. 
Devotednefs  to  God. 

PWm  cxvi.  id.     Oh  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy  iervant ;  Sec.  507 

SERMON. 

The  righteous  fcarcely  faved,  and  the  wicked  cer- 
tainly deftroyed. 

1  Peter  Iv.  18.    And  if  the  righteous  fcarcely  be  faved,  8cc.  517 

SERMON. 
The  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  entirely  of  God. 

I  Cor.  iii.  5,  6,  7.  Who  then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos,  See.       531 

SERMON. 
The  yoke  of  Chrift. 

Matth.  xi.  36.     For  my  yoke  is  eafy,  and  my  burden  is  light        545^ 

SERMON. 
The  glory  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  perpetuity  of  his 

work. 

Pfalm  Ixxii.  17.     His  name  fliall  endure  forever  :  c^c.  ^65 

SERMON. 
The  petitions  of  the  infincere  unavailing. 

Pfalm  Ixvi.  18.     If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 

will  not  hear  me  rgr 

SERMON. 
Chriftian  magnanimity. 

]  ThefT.  ii.  12.     That  you   would  walk  worthy  of  God,  &c.        599 

An  addrefs  to  the  fludents  in  the  Senior  Clafs.     613 


C   1    ] 


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FERVENCY  and  IMPORTUNITY  in   PRAYER. 


SERMON. 


GENESIS  xxxii.  26. 

And  he  said,  I  iv ill  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me. 

Second  fermon  on  the  text. 

II.  '\/^7'E  proceed  now  to  the  second  tKmg  propofed 
W  ^^  ^^  diftribution  of  the  fubjedl ;  which  was, 
To  lliow  you  the  duty  and  reafonablenefs  of  wreflling 
and  importunity  in  prayer.  Here  I  am  fenfible,  that  a 
corrupt  and  impatient  mind  may  be  able  to  muller  up 
objeftions  againft  it.  There  is  fomething  wonderful  and 
unfearchable  in  all  the  works  of  God,  and  in  none  more, 
as  it  isreafonable  to  fuppofe,  than  in  tlie  methods  of  his  grace. 
In  particular,  it  may  appear  furprifmg,  that  he  lliould  ex- 
ercife  his  people  with  fuch  conflidls  and  trials,  that  it 
fliould  be  neceflary  to  overcome  him,  as  it  were,  by  im- 
portunity, before  we  can  obtain  thofe  bkflings  which  him- 
felf  hath  commanded  us  to  afl-c,  and  which  he  hath  pro- 
mifed  to  beftow.  Why,  will  it  be  faid,  does  a  God  of 
mercy,  and  of  infinite  fuUnefs,  to  whom  all  our  wants 
and  wcakneifes  are  perfe6lly  known,  wait  for  our  prayers, 
before  he  will  part  with  what  is  fo  much  needed  by  us  ? 
Why  doth  he,  who  knoweth  our  frame,  and  remembers 
tliat  we  are  duft,  unneccflarily  tlirow  obfi:ru6lions  in  our 
way,  and  wrap  himfelf  up  in  darknefs,  to  difcourage  oui 
approach  .^ 


8  Feriicncy  and  Importunity  in  Prayer. 

But  how  does  this  furprife  increafe,  when  we  confider 
how  unequal  we  are  for  the  conflift,  if  no  flrength  but 
our  own  is  oppofed  to  the  Almighty !  nay,  that  our 
flrength  for  refiftance  mull  come  only  fi-om  himfelf :  fo  that 
he  wounds,  and  he  heals ;  he  opprelFes,  and  he  fuftains  ; 
he  difcourages,  and  he  invites.  It  is  by  prayer  that  wc 
mull  obtain  eveiy  bleffing  from  the  Father  of  lights  ; 
and  one  of  the  greatell  and  moil  neceflary  of  thefe  blef- 
fmgs  is  the  fpirit  of  prayer  itfelf.  My  brethren,  when 
either  unbelief  or  profanity  moves  any  fuch  difficulties  as 
thefe,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  call  upon  you,  in  the  firll 
place,  to  bow  yourfelves  before  the  fovereignty  of  God. 
There  is  an  unfearchable  impenetrable  depth  in  the  di- 
vine wifdom,  whether  we  look  upon  the  v/orks  of  nature, 
or  of  grace.  As  Creator  of  the  world,  he  could,  no 
doubt,  in  a  moment,  with  one  word  of  his  power,  have 
raifed  the  whole  fabric  in  perfeftion  ;  yet  it  pleafed  him, 
in  a  gradual  manner,  to  finifh  every  part  by  the  addition 
of  another,  for  the  fpaice  of  fix  days.  When  he  gave  the 
firfl  promife  to  Adam,  or  when  he  renewed  it  to  the  father 
of  the  faithful,  he  could,  no  doubt,  have  fent  the  Saviour 
into  the  world,  to  finifh  tranfgreffion,  and  make  an  end  of 
fm  ;  yet  he  faw  it  proper  to  give  only  diilant  intimations 
of  this  blelfed  period,  and  to  defer  the  longrexpedled  ap- 
pearance till  the  fulnefs  of  time,  while  the  nations  u-ere 
fuffered  to  fit  for  many  ages  in  darknefs,  and  in  the  region 
and  fhadow  of  death.  In  the  fame  manner  he  often  takes 
a  great  variety  of  fteps  with  his  people  before  they  are 
made  partakers  of  his  promifes. 

But  notwithflanding  that  fomething  niuft  flill  remain 
myllerious,  and  beyond  the  ccmprehenfion  of  a  unite 
creatu.re,  in  the  management  of  God,  who  "  giveth  not 
"  account  of  any  of  his  matters,"  we  may  fee  much  pro- 
priety and  beauty  in  this  part  of  his  procedure.  And  is 
it  not  our  duty  to  attend  to  it  ?  We  may  fee  the  reafona-- 
blenefs,  nay  wg  may  perceive  the  wifdom,  of  his  requiring 
H  holy  fervency,  wrellling,  and  importunity  in  prayer : 
for  it  ferves  to  eiigi-ave  upon  our  hearts,  and  even  to  w^ork 
into  our  affeftlons,  fome  of  tlic  mofr  important  truths  of 
religion,  raid  fuch  as  will  ha\  e  the  moil  powerful  and  ex- 


Fervency  and  Importunity  in  Prc.yer.  9 

tenfive  influence  upon  our  temper  and  praQicc.  lliis 
will  plainly  appear  from  the  tlircc  following  coufidera- 
tions. 

1.  Fervency  of  fplrit,  and  importunity,  in  prayer,  is 
fuitable  and  neceflary,  becaufe  of  die  grcatncfs  and  gloiy 
of  that  God  with  whom  we  hold  communion,  as  well  as  it 
ferves  to  flrengthen  and  improve  the  fenfe  of  this  upon 
our  minds.  The  infinite  majefly  of  God,  iind  the  un- 
meafurable  dillance  at  which  he  is  removed  from  all  crea- 
ted weaknefs,  is  often  fpoken  of  infcripture  with  admira,- 
tion  of  his  condcfcenfion  :  Pfal.  viii.  3,  4.  "  When  I  con- 
"  fider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon 
*'  and  tlie  flars  which  thou  haft  ordained ;  what  is  man, 
"  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  fen  of  man,  that 
*'  thou  vifueft  him  ?"  Under  a  deep  imprcllion  of  the 
fame  great  truth,  Solomon  fiiys,  2  Ghron.  vi.  18.  "  But 
"  will  God  in  very  deed  dv/ell  widi  men  on  the  earth  ? 
"  behold,  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  con- 
"  tain  thee  ;  how  much  lefsthis  Ijoufe  which  I  have  built :" 
Is  not,  then,  fome  fervor  of  aft'«idlion  due  to  the  greatncfs 
and  glory  of  that  God  Avhom  we  worfnip  I  Our  aillxticns 
(liould  always,  in  their  ftrength  and  exertion,  be  in  pro- 
}X>rtion  to  dieir  objeft,  its  dignity  and  v/oith.  Indiflcr- 
cnce  and  carelefiiiefs  in  an  inferior  towards  a  iuperior  is 
always  counted  a  mark  of  dildain.  We  naturally  I'up. 
pofe,  that  thofe  in  great  and  high  ftrtions  ought  to  be  aj)- 
proached  witli  reverence,  and  folicit.d  in  the  humblcfc 
manner,  by  their  inferiors,  who  hope  to  ftiare  in  their 
bounty  ;  and  the  more  exalted  the  perfon,  the  more  fub- 
miflive  the  pofture,  and  the  more  earneil  the  fupplication. 
Much  more  ought  this  to  take  place  between  God  and  us. 
On  this  account  it  is,  probably  at  leaft  on  this  amongft 
others,  that  indifference  and  cgldnefs  in  rclipon  is  reprc- 
fented  as  peculiarly  the  object  of  divine  detcftatjon  :  Rev. 
iii.  15,  16.  ''  I  know  tliy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold 
"  nor  hot :  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then  be- 
*'  caufe  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I 
'*  will  fpue  thee  out  of  my  mouth." 

2.  Our  ov/n  great  unworthinefs,  who  are  the  objcas 
of  divine  love,  and  admitted  to  tliis  facrcd  intcrcouri'e. 


lo  Fci-'uency  and  Importunity  hi  Prayer. 

fliould  powerfully  excite  us  to  fervency  in  pleading.  This 
is  prccifely  a.  counterpart  to  the  former  confideration, 
and  greally  ilrengtlieus  the  conclufion.  Even  the  high- 
eft  of  the  fpirits  above,  niofl:  eminent  in  knowledge 
and  fanftity,  who  ftand  neareft  to  the  throne  of  God, 
we  ai-e  told,  cover  their  faces  with  their  wings,  as  loft  in 
refix'ct  and  wonder,  when  they  lool^  to  him  who  dwells  in 
inacceflible  light.  How  much  more  "  man,  who  is  a 
*■'■  worm,  arid  the  fon  of  man,  who  is  a  worm,  v/hofe  foun- 
"  dation  is  in  the  duft,  v.^ho  dwells  in  houfes  of  clay,  and 
"  is  cruflied  before  the  moth  !"  Accordingly,  in  fome  of 
the  examples  we  hcve  of  the  moft  importunate  pleading 
and  wreftling  in  prayer,  this  is  the  very  difficulty  which 
feems  to  ftand  in  the  way,  and  requires  the  greatelt  efforts 
of  holy  boldnels  to  overcom-C  ;  as  in  the  account  we  have 
of  Abraham's  interccffion  for  devoted  Sodom,  Gen.  xviii. 
27.  "  And  Abraham  anfwered  and  laid,  Behold  now,  I 
*'•  have  taken  upon  me  to  fpeak  unto  the  Lord,  which  am 
*'  but  Axi^.  and  afties."  And  again,  in  the  3 2d  verfe, 
"  And  he  faid,  Oh  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will 
"  fpeak  yet  but  this  once  :  Peradventure  ten  lliall  be  found 
*'  there.  And  he  faid,  I  -will  not  dellroy  it  for  ten's  fake." 
But,  my  brethren,  I  bsfeech  you  remember,  it  is  not 
our  frail  nature,  and  limited  pov/ers  only,  that  point  out 
our  unworthincfs  ;  but  our  guilt  and  impurity,  fo  oppofite 
and  fo  odious  to  the  divine  nature.  Tiiis,  I  have  fliown 
you  in  the  preceding  diibourfe,  is  one  of  the  greateft  hin- 
tlerances  of  our  accefs  to  God  in  prayer.  And  may  we  not 
fay,  How  fuiiable,  hovr  neceflaiy  is  it,  that,  in  order  to 
keep  us  ftiil  deeply  humble,  God  Ihouid  fometimes  cover 
himfelf  with  a  cloud,  and  exercife  the  finner  with  ftrong 
cr}dng  and  tears,  before  he  will  vouchfaf-  the  intim.ations 
of  his  love  r  This  reafon  will  be  felt,  and  that  the  moft 
fenfibly  by  the  beft  and  moft  dutiful  of  his  children,  as 
their  fanftincatlon  contiimes  imperfect  fo  long  as  tliey  are 
here  below.  How  ftiouid  a  lenfe  of  guilt  and  mifery  at 
once  increafe  our  felf-abafement,  and  add  to  the  earneft- 
nefs  of  our  deftres  !  Tixre  cannot  be  a  Jufter  delcription, 
both  of  our  ftate  and  duty,  where  mifery  and  v/eaknefs 
tonfpire  in  Ihowing  the  neceility  and  diiliculty  of  wreft- 


Fervency  and  Importunity  in  Prayer.  1 1 

ling  with  God,  than  the  apoflle  hath  given  us,  Rom.  viii. 
26.  "  Likewife  the  Spirit  alio  helpeth  our  infirmities :  for 
"  we  know  not  what  we  flioukl  pray  for  as  we  ought :  but 
"  the  Spirit  itfelf  maketh  interceffion  for  us  with  groanings 
"  which  cannot  be  uttered." 

3.  The  duty  and  reafonablenefs  of  wreitling  and  im- 
portunity in  prayer,  appears  from  the  ineflimable  vahie  of 
the  mercies  to  be  obtained.  Shoukl  there  not  be  a  pro- 
portionable ftrength  of  defire  to  the  wordi  of  the  blefllngs  in 
profpe6t  ?  Now,  who  can  compute  the  value  of  the  divine 
favor,  and  all  its  happy  effects  ?  and  therefore  wlio  can 
compute  the  guilt  of  indifference,  and  die  neceffity  of  fer- 
vor in  afking  it  ?  The  bleffmgs  of  falvation  in  general  are 
in  their  nature  and  Iburce  unfpeakablc,  and  in  their  dura- 
tion without  end. — On  the  one  hand,  deliverance  from 
everlafting  mifery,  from  the  wrath  of  an  almighty  and  in- 
cenfed  God.  True  it  is,  that  thole  who  are  but  yet  in  the 
way  mufl  be  veiy  unable  to  form  jufl:  conceptions  of  this. 
But  we  may  in  general  conclude,  from  the  glory  of  cre- 
ating power,  which  is  in  fo  many  infbnces  difplavcd  be- 
fore our  eyes,  how  fearful  a  thing  it  muff  be  to  be  the  mo- 
numents of  the  vengeance  of  ibch  a  God.  He  who  is 
mighty  to  make  and  fave,  is  alfo  mighty  to  dcflroy.  This 
Is  particularly  felt  by  the  fmner,  when,  humbled  by  con- 
viction, and  in  every  inward  conflict  there  is  a  repetition 
of  the  fame  dillrefs,  as  it  arifes  from  the  fame  caufe. 

On  tiie  other  hand,  v/hat  mufl  be  the  value  of  everlaft- 
ing happincfs  in  the  prefeiice  and  the  enjoyment  of  God! 
How  bleffed,  beyond  exprcfilon,  mud  the  believer  be  v/hen 
the  fullnefs  of  the  divine  benignity,  of  which  we  liave 
now  accefs  to  talte  only  fome  fmaller  and  more  dlilant 
Itreams,  lliall  be  the  portion  of  the  foul !  What  fupplica- 
tions  Ihould  we  not  make,  when  we  arc  allured,  that  im- 
portunity may  obttiln  fo  rich  a  trcafure  !  And  let  me  add, 
how  valuable  prefent  fellowfliip  and  communion  with 
God,  which  is  the  carnell  and  foretaftc  of  complete  deli- 
verance from  the  one,  and  the  eternal  unchangeable  pof- 
feffion  of  the  other !  Say  nov/,  my  brethren,  is  it  not  jail: 
and  reafonable,  that  thcfc  blciTings  flioukl  be  dcfired  wiiii 
ardor,  and  fought  with  importunity  ?  Vv'hut  fOrvc;;t  l.ia- 


12 


Feroency  and  Impoi-umity  in  Prayer. 


.e^uajc  have  we  from  the  fcrlpture-faints  upon  this  fiibject ,' 
■pr.  xlii.  I,  2,  "As  the  hart  pantetli  after  the  water- 
''  hr()oks,{b  panteth  my  foul  after  thee,  O  God.  My  foul 
'■'■  thirftelh  for  God,  for  the  living  God  :  when  fnall  I  come 
"■  and  appear  before  God  ?"  Pf.  Ixiii.  i,  2.  "  O  God, 
"  thou  art-  my  God,  early  will  I  feek  thee  :  my  foul  tliirft- 
"  eth  for  thee,  my  flefli  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and 
"  thirfty  land,  where  no  water  is  :  to  fee  thy  power  and 
"  thy  glory,  To  as  I  have  feen  thee  in  the  fandtuary."  Is 
it  any  v/onder  that  there  fliould  be  often  trials  and  conflifts 
in  tlie  way  to  ^o  honorable  a  relation,  and  lb  happy  a  ftate  ? 
What  is  cheaply  obtained,  is  commonly  efteemed  of  little 
woith.  Is  it  to  be  expefted,  then,  that  God  fhould  profti- 
tute  the  blefiings  of  his  love  to  cold  and  difdainful  petitions, 
to  lukewarm  and  indifferent  petitioners  ?  And  are  there 
not  alas  !  too  many  Vv  ho  "  afls:  and  have  not,  becaufe  they 
"  aik  amifs,"  who,  by  their  feeble  and  heartlefs  demands, 
do  juftiiy,  and,  if  I  may  ufe  fuch  an  expreffion,  evenfolicit 
a  refufal  ? 

III.  We  proceed  to  the  third  thing  propofed  in  the 
method ;  which  was,  To  point  out  the  great  advantages 
which  flow  from  wrellllng  with  God,  Thefe  in  confe- 
quence  of  what  hath  been  already  faid,  may  be  confidered 
as  all  centring  in  one  point,  viz.  its  power  and  efficacy 
in  procuring  the  blei]ings.  Nothing  can  be  faid  ftronger 
on  the  bene  lit  of  wreftling  with  God,  than  that  we  fliall 
afiurediy  prevail.  The  fuccefs  of  Jacob's  wreftling  is  re- 
corded in  the  paiTage  immediately  following  the  text,  verfc 
27,  28,  29.  "  And  he  faid  unto  him,  What  is  thy  name  ? 
'••  And  he  faid  Jacob.  And  he  faid,  Thy  name  fliall  be 
"  called  no  more  Jacob,  but  Ifrael :  for  as  a  prince  haft 
"  thon  power  v,'ith  God  and^witli  men,  js,nd  haft  prevailed. 
"  And  Jacob  aflved  him,  and  faid,  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee, 
"  thy  name.  And  he  faid,  Wherefore  is  it  that  thou  doft 
'■■  afk  after  my  name  ?  and  he  blefled  him  there.'*  But 
that  I  may  illuftrate  this  a  little  in  a  practical  manner,  ob- 
Icrvc,  that  the  efficacy  of  wreftling  with.  God  in  prayer, 
sq^pcars  from  the  three  follov/ing  confiderations. 


P'ern)ency  and  Importunity  in  Prayer.  13 

1.  It  prepares  and  dlfpofes  the  people  of  God  for  re- 
ceiving his  mercies,  and  in  feme  cafes  is  itfelf  the  aclual 
pone/Tion  of  them.  Every  part  of  the  divine  conduct  to- 
wards liis  faints  is  full  of  wifdom,  and  full  of  grace.  One 
rcafon  why  he  who  knows  our  wants,  requires  us  to  pray, 
is,  that  we  may  he  prepared  for  a  profitable  fupply.  We 
may  alfo  reft  allured,  that  he  will  not  delay  his  interpofi- 
tion  one  moment  beyond  the  fitted  feafon.  Now,  that 
ardent  prayer,  wreftling,  and  importunity  with  God,  is  the 
b-'ft  preparation  for  receiving  his  mercies,  is  plain,  bodi 
in  refpe6l  of  worth  and  capacity.  It  may  feem  indeed 
improper  to  fpeak  of  any  fitnefs  as  to  worth  for  receiving 
the  divine  mercies,  which  are  all  free  and  unmerited  on 
our  part,  however  dearly  purchafed  on  the  part  of  our 
furety.  But,  my  brethren,  with  due  caution,  we  may 
alfo  take  in  this  confideration,  the  rather  that  it  is  in  the 
exercife  of  prayer  that  this  fitnefs  is  obtained :  which 
plainly  fhews,  that  it  cometh  from  God,  that  it  is  his  own 
gift,  and  his  own  work.  Is  not  that  perfon  the  fitter  for 
deliverance  from  diftrefs  of  any  kind,  and  for  the  commu- 
nications of  divine  favor,  who  is  wholly  emptied  of  him- 
felf,  truly  an-l  deeply  humbled,  brought  proftrate  before 
the  Divine  Majefty,  convinced  and  fatisfied  of  the  vani- 
ty of  all  created  enjoyments,  and  breathing  after  God,  as 
his  fole  refuge  and  confolation,  which  he  will  not,  and 
cannot  forego  ? 

May  we  not  alfo  fay,  that  he  is  much  more  fit,  than  one, 
on  the  other  hand,  who  liies  from  God  with  impatient  com- 
plaints, or  fullen  difdain  ;  or  who,  without  aflving  help 
from  above,  when  one  earthly  coin'ort  fails  him,  cleaves 
the  oXoitv  to  another  ?  The  great,  if  not  the  only  end  v  f 
divine  correction,  is,  to  weaken  the  power  of  fin,  to  m;  ■  e 
us  feel  the  vanity  ofj:he  creature,  and  to  break  everv  at- 
tachment to  the  world  that  is  iiiordinai-c  anrl  exccfTive. 
WHien  this  end  is  obtained,  there fjre,  mv.ft  not  tlie  '-od  be 
wlttidrawn  ?  and  will  not  this  promife  be  certainly  ac- 
compli Hied  ?  that  the  Lord  v/ijl  "  appoint  un^o  theni  that 
''  mourn  in  Zion,to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  allies,  the 
"  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praife  for  tlie 
"  fplrit  of  heavinefs,  that  thev  mioht  be  called  trees  of 

Vol.  II.  B      " 


14  Feroency  and  Importunity  in  Praytr. 

*'  righteoufnefs,  the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he  might 
"  be  glorified  ;"  If.  Ixi.  3.  If  we  look  into  the  fcripture- 
qualifications  for  receiving  the  communications  of  divine 
love,  we  fhall  find  the  chief  of  them  to  be,  the  earneflnefs 
of  our  own  defires  t  If.  Iv.  i.  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirft- 
"  eth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  nc»  money; 
*'  come  ye,  buy  and  eat,  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk 
*'  without  money,  and  without  price.'* 

Further  wrefiling  and  importunity  in  prayer  gives  a 
capacity  of  relifliing  the  mercies  of  God;  They  are  then, 
and  not  till  then  in  the  fame  degree,  truly  mercies,  ear- 
nelHy  defired,  infinitely  prized.  It  is  a  common  and 
beaten  remark,  That  the  worth  of  any  mercy  is  never 
known  till  we  al'e  deprived  of  it.  There  is  great  accefs 
to  obferve  this  in  the  Chriftian  life,  not  only  in  its  begin- 
nin:J,  but  in  every  ftep  of  its  progrefs.  O  how  refrefliing 
is  the  intimation  of  pardon  to  a  convinced  iinnerj  who 
hath  long  trembled  through  fear  of  wrath,  or  to  the  be- 
liever, who  hath  long  groaned  under  a  fpirit  of  bondage  ! 
O  how  ravifliingis  a  fenfe  of  divine  love  to  that  child  of 
God  who  hath  long  complained  of  the  hiding  of  his  Father's 
face  !  When,  after  he  hath  been  loft  on  a  fea  of  temptations^ 
one  wave  or  billow  following  clofe  upon  the  back  of  ano^ 
ther,  he  is  at  laft  received  into  a  peaceful  heaven  !  the 
eiierlast'mg  arms  are  ftretched  round  about  him,  the.  faith- 
fulness of  God  is  his  fliield  and  buckler,  and  the  ftrength 
o^  the  Almighty  his  impregnable  fecurity  ?  There  is  no 
fuch  ftayednefs  or  compofure  of  mind  as  after  a  variety  of 
trials.  The  exercifcd  Chriftian  has  tried  and  thrown  awaj^ 
every  broken  reed,  one  after  another  ;  he  hath  found  the 
vanity  of  every  refuge  of  lies  ;  and  hath  fettled  his  hope 
on  the  immoveable  foundation  of  the  rock  of  ages,  which 
Ihall  never  fail. 

I  added,  in  entering  on  this  partffcular,  that  wreftling 
and  importunity  in  prayer  is  in  many  cafes  itfelf  the  pof- 
feffjon  of  the  very  mercies  we  defire.  It  is  the  exercile 
of  almoft  every  gracious  difpofition.  To  increafe  in  fanc- 
tification,  to  have  his  graces  ftrengthened,  and  his  corrup.^ 
tions  fiibdued,  is  the  habitual  and  prevailing  defire  of  eveiy 
real  believer.     But  how  can   this  be  more,  effedually  ob- 


Fervency  arid  Importunity  in  Prayer.  15 

tained  than  by  fervent  prayer  ?  How,  and  where,  can 
any  gracious  difpofition  be  either  more  improved  and 
Urengthened,  or  more  clearly  difcerned,  than  when  it  is 
in  exercife.  Faith,  love,  penitential  forrow,  trull,  and 
refignation,  are  the  very  difpofitlons  efFential  to  a  vvreflling 
believer.  Perhaps  fome  will  fay.  True  indeed  ;  but  they 
are  only  attempting  to  ihew  themfelves,  often  difcovering 
their  weaknefs,  fometimes  yielding  to  their  oppofites. 
Alas  !  fays  the  Chriflian,  my  faith  is  often  over-matched 
with  unbelief,  and  my  love  contradicted  by  impatient  com- 
plaints :  v\  hat  is  my  penitential  forrow  but  weeping  over 
a  hard  heart?  my  trull  and  refignation  is  but  a  fliort- lived 
promife  :  in  a  little  time  my  courage  fails,  and  I  am  ready 
to  tremble  at  the  falling  of  a  leaf.  But,  my  dear  brethren, 
is  not  the  importunate  wrefllcr  maintaining  the  confiidt, 
inllead  of  yielding  to  the  flream  ?  ar^d  how  infinitely  pre- 
ferable are  his  hours  of  deepeft  anguifh  to  that  flothful  and 
unequal  conduct  to  be  obferved  in  many  fecure  and  forr 
mal  Chrillians  !  It  is  alfo  certain,  that  many  times  de- 
liverance comes  unlocked  for.  As  the  Pfalmift  fays,  that 
whilll  he  was  mufmg  the  fire  burned ;  fo  it  frequently  hap- 
pens, that  a  gragious  God,  vifits  diftrelTed  fouls,  even 
when  they  leall  expecl  it,  with  the  joy  of  his  falvation, 
and  caufeth  the  bones  which  he  hath  broken  to  rejoice. 

2.  The  efficacy  of  importunate  prayer  appears  from 
the  promifes  of  fuccefs  which  are  annexed  to  it  in  fcrip- 
ture.  I  mull  here  begin  by  obferving,  that  there  are 
many  commands  in  the  word  of  God  to  pray,  to  pray 
without  ceafing,  to  continue  inflant  in  prayer.  Now, 
every  command  to  pray,  contains  in  it  a  promife  of  a  gra- 
cious anfwer  from  the  hearer  of  prayer.  It  neceffarily 
implies  it.  The  truth  of  God  is  a  pledge  ^nd  fecurity 
for  it.  He  would  not  deceive  us  with  vain  hopes,  or  put 
us  upon  a  fruitlefs  attempt :  for  he  is  not  a  man,  that  he 
fliould  lie.  But  belides  this  general  confideration,  there 
are  many  exprefs  promifes  particularly  to  the  earnellnefs 
and  importunity  of  the  defire  :  Prov.  ii.  3,  4,  5.  "  Yea, 
"  if  thou  crieft  alter  knowledge,  and  lifteft  up  thy  voice 
"  for  underflanding ;  if  tliou  feekeft  her  as  filver,  and 
■*  fcarclwll  for  her,  as  for  hid  treafures :  then  flialt  thou 


1 6  Fervency  and  Importunity  hi  Prayer. 

*'  underftand  the  fear  of  theXord,  and  find  the  knowledge 
"  God."  See  alfo  the  parable  of  the  importunate  widow, 
and  the  unjufl  judge,  Luke  xviii.  i.  which  concludes 
thus,  ver.  7.  "  And  fhall  not  God  avenge  his  own  eleft, 
*'  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long 
*'  with  them  ? 

Let  me  beg  your  attention  to  another  paflage  recorded 
in  the  17th  chapter  of  Matthew,  where  there  was  brought 
to  our  Saviour  a  pofleffed  perfon,  whom  his  difciples  could 
not  cure:  ver.  19,  20,  21.  "  Then  came  the  difciples 
"  to  Jefus  apart,  and  laid,  Why  could  not  we  call  him 
''  out  ?  And  Jefus  faid  unto  them,  Becaufe  of  your  un- 
*'  belief:  for  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  If  ye  have  faith  as  a 
"  grain  of  muftard-feed,  ye  fhall  fay  unto  this  mountain, 
*'  Remove  hence  to  yonder  place,  and  it  lliall  remove ; 
*'  and  nothing  fhall  be  impoilible  unto  you,  Hovvbeit 
"  this  kind  goeth  not  out,  but  by  prayer  and  failing." 
This  pafFage  is  fomewhat  remarkable,  and  entirely  to  our 
prefent  purpofe.  It  ihews,  that  in  the  oeconomy  oi  divine 
grace,  there  are  fome  mercies  that  may  be  obtained  by 
lefs,  and  fome  that  require  more  earneft  and  fervent  pray- 
er. This  fpecies  of  devils,  it  ieems,  would  not  yield  to 
the  fame  influence  that  others  did.  See  only  further 
James  v.  16.  "  Confefs  your  faults  one  to  another,  and 
"pray  one  for  another,  that  ye  may  be  healed:  The  ef- 
*'  fe^al  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth 
"'much." 

3.  In  the  last  place.  The  fame  thing  appears  from  the 
daily  experience  of  the  people  of  God,  and  many  memo- 
rable examples  of  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  I  might  cite  a 
great  number  of  thefc  to  you  from  the  holy  fcripturcs, 
which  are  not  only  a  facred  repofitory  of  divine  truth,  but 
a  hiflory  of  divine  Providence.  You  may  take  the  few 
following  inftances.  Abraham's  intercclTory  prayer  tor 
Sodom,  in  which  that  ancient  patriarch,  honored  with 
the  glorious  title  of  the  friend  of  God,  was  allowed  to 
plead  with  him,  to  repeat  and  urge  liis  requell,  as  well 
as  to  flrengthen  it  with  arguments.  It  is  true,  it  faved 
not  the  whole  city  from  deflrudlion ;  yet  M^as  it  heard 
in  every  part  of  it,  according  to  its  tenor.     Nay,  even 


Fer-oency  and  Impartumty  in  Fray er,  17 

though  the  ten  rigliteous,  which  was  his  lowed  fuppofi- 
tioii,  were  not  found  in  it ;  yet  the  few  righteous  that 
were  there,  were  not  involved  in  the  general  calamity, 
but  fuiVered  to  efcape.  Take  alfo  the  example  of  Elias, 
as  cited  by  the  apofde  James,  chap.  v.  17,  18.  *'  Elias 
"  was  a  man  fubjedt  to  like  paflions  as  we  are,  and  he 
"  prayed  earncftly  that  it  might  not  rain  :  and  it  rained  not 
*'  on  the  earth  by  the  fpace  of  three  years  and  fix  months. 
*'  And  he  prayed  again,  and  the  heaven  gave  rain,  and 
"  the  earth  brought  forth  her  fruit."  See  the  cafe  of  Da- 
niel recorded  in  tiie  2d  chapter  of  that  book,  particularly 
the  17th,  1 8th,  19th  verfes  of  that  chapter,  where  you 
A\ill  learn,  diat,  by  the  united  prayer  of  Daniel  and  his 
companions,  the  fecret  of  the  king's  dream  was  commu- 
nicated to  them  in  a  revelation  from  heaven.  1  only  add 
the  inftance  recorded  Matth.  xv.  21.  and  downwards, 
where  the  woman  of  Canaan  fo  importunately  prefies  her 
requeft,  and  at  laft  receives  rtiis  anfwer :  ver.  28.  "  Then 
"  Jefus  anfwercd  and  faid  unto  her,  O  woman,  gi-eat  is 
"  thy  faith  :  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt.  And  her 
"  daughter  was  made  whole  from  that  very  hour." 

I  might  eafily  mention  many  more  recent  examples  of 
the  efficacy  of  prayer ;  but  thole  which  have  been  already 
produced  are  abundantly  fufficient.  The  truth  is,  I  am 
perfuaded  that  ever}'-  ferious  Chriflian  is  able  to  recoUeft 
examples  of  it  from  his  own  experience  ;  and  furely  they 
are  of  all  others  mod  inexcufable,  who  reftrain  prayer  be- 
fore God,  after  they  have  known  the  unfpeakable  benefit 
which  flows  from  it. 

IV.  Let  us  now  make  fome  praO.ical  improvement  of 
what  hath  been  faid  on  this  fubjeft.     And, 

I.  SuiTer  me  to  improve  what  hath  been  faid,  for  the 
convidion  and  reproof  of  thofe  who  are  habitually  un- 
mindful of  this  important  duty.  Alas  !  my  brethren,  what 
reafon  have  we  to  complain  of  the  negle6l  of  wreilling, 
and  want  of  importunity  in  prayer !  Is  not  the  language 
itfelf  become  iinfafliionable,  and  liable  to  fcorn  ?  As  a 
perfon  as  eminent  in  Ihition  as  in  piety  once  faid,  "  Men 
**  have  now  dcvifed  a  fmooth  and  cafy  way  to  heaven, 


iS  Fevoency  and  Importunity  m  Prayer^ 

*'  quite  eonfiflent  with  the  fpirit  of  the  world,  in  which 
*^  temptations  and  fpiritual  conflids,  and  inward  trials,^ 
*'  are  unknown."  But  be  afllired,  however  changeable  we 
are  in  our  fancy  and  inclination,  the  word  of  Gpd  abid- 
eth  for  ever.  There  is  very  great  reafon  to  fear,  nay 
there  is  good  ground  to  affirm,  that  thofe  who  are  (Grangers 
to  wreflling  with  God  in  prayer,  are  fleeping  in  fecurity, 
and  under  the  dominion  of  lin.  You  will  fay  perhaps, 
you  live  at  eafe  and  undillurbed,  It  may  be  {o^  and  it  is. 
fo  much  the  worfe ;  for  the  prince  of  this  world  will  al- 
ways confult  the  peace  and  quietnefs  of  his  own  fubjefts. 

I  would  earneflly  intreat  every  hearer  of  the  gol'pel  to 
luffcr  this  reproof  to  enter  into  his  mind,  as  it  is  what  can 
be  certainly  known  only  to  God  and  your  own  fouls. 
Though  there  is  fufficient  outward  evidence  of  the  gene- 
ral negleft  of  this  duty,  how  far  any  perfon  is  particular- 
ly guilty,  muft  be  left  to  the  determination  pf  his  own 
confcience,  and  the  judgment  of  him  who  feeth  and  fearch- 
eth  the  heart.  If  there  is  any  among  you  who  habitually 
clefpifeth  prayer,  who  makes  every  little  bufmefs  every 
iittle  indifpofitiori  or  lazinefs  of  niind,  an  excufe  for  ne^ 
g;k6ling  or  poftponing  it :  if  there  are  any  who  fatisfy 
ihemfelves  with  a  d,ead  curibry  formahty  in  duty  ;  who, 
tall  in  c^uefiion  the  reality  of  communion  with  God  in 
ethers,  becaufe  they  are  Grangers  to  it  thenifelves  ;  with- 
out all  doubt  they  have  great  caufe  to  fear,  that  they  are  in 
the  gall  of  bitternefs,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity,  Tell 
me,  what  is  the  reafon  of  your  backwardnefs  to  drawing 
near  to  God  .''  Is  it  not,  that  you  are  afraid  of  coming 
into  his  pre  fence  ?  Is  it  not,  that  }  ou  cannot  bear  the 
opening  of  your  hearts  ?  Is  it  not  from  fome  dark  jea- 
loufy  and  fufpicion,  that  all  is  not  right  with  you,  though 
you  had  rather  cover  than  confefs  it  ?  My  earnell  prayer 
to  God  is,  that  though  you  keep  at  adiiknce  from  him,  he 
may  not  keep  at  a  diftance  from  you  }  that  he  may,  by 
his  Spirit,  convince  you  of  your  danger,  and,  in  great 
raercy,  deliver  you  from  this  miferable  ftate. 

2.  You  may  learn,  from  what  has  been  faid,  one  great 
caufe  of  the  low  ftate  of  religion,  and  the  barrennefs  of  or- 
dinances among  us  at  prefeut,^     It  i§  the  negk(3:  of  prayer. 


fervency  and  Importunity  in  Fraysf.  t^ 

jlnd  that  many,  though  they  may  condefccnd  to  afl<:,  ytt  dt) 
notthhikit  worth  their  while  to  wrefllc  for  theblefling.  The 
profane  are  not  the  only  perfons  juftly  chargeable  with  a 
'fail lire  in  this  part  of  their  duty.  Many  real  ChrilliaiVS 
are  apt  to  flacken  their  diligence  in  this  important  exet"- 
cife,  and  many  often  read  their  fm  in  their  punifliment-. 
But  is  it  not  very  wonderiiil,  my  brethren,  that  thofe  wl^ 
have  once  tailed  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  who  hav<c 
known  tlie  fweetnefs  of  communion  with  God,  fhould  eve^ 
iofe  it  by  their  own  indifference  and  Iv.ckwardnels  t6 
maintain  it  ?  Yet  here  we  mull,  t)f  necelTity,  lay  the 
blame.  We  muft  llill  fay,  in  jullification  of  his  proce- 
dure, If.  iix.  I,  2.  "  Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  notfliort-- 
*'  ened,  that  it  cannot  lave  :  neither  his  ear  heavy,  tliat  it 
"  cannot  heaf.  But  your  iniquities  have  feparated  be-- 
"  tween  you  and  your  God,  and  your  fins  have  hid  his 
"  face  from  you,  that  he  will  not  hear."  It  feems  to  ap- 
pear from  the  experience  of  Chriftians,  that  God  is  jealous 
of  their  treatment  of  his  love,  and  deeply  relents  the  aliert-- 
ation  of  their  affedions  ;  and  therefore,  to  have  fenfible 
joy  in  him,  and  to  walk  in  the  comfort  of  the  hblj  Ghoft, 
which  is  fo  great  a  privilege,  cannot  be  preferved  withotlt 
the  greatefl  watchfulnefs  on  their  part,  and  the  greateJI 
tonftancy  in  prayer. 

3.  Suffer  me  now,  in  a  few  words,  to  exhort  every  pef- 
fon  in  this  aflenibly,^  and  in  particular  thofe  who  have  la 
lately  renewed  their  engagement  to  God,  over  the  fymbol* 
of  the  broken  body  and  fhed  blood  of  Chrilt,Jto  giv^.thcni* 
felves  unto  prayer.  fOf  what  ufe  iS  your  being  admitted 
to  this  facred  table,  if  it  do  not  incline  you  to  live  neanef 
to  God  in  the  habitual  tenor  of  your  life  ?jl'his  is  the  very 
privilege  which  we  obtain  by  die  blood  of  ChHil,  that  we 
have  accefs  with  boldncfs  and  confidence  throuQ[h  the  faith 
of  him^  This  is  the  very  advantage  that  we  obtain  by  his 
tontinual  interceflion  before  the  throne,  Heb.  iv.  14,  i6< 
*'  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great  high  priell,  that  13 
**  paffed  into  the  heavens,  Jefus  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold 
*'  fall  our  profeffion.  Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto 
"  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find 
*'  grace  to  help  ia  time  of  need."     Again,  have  you  n^ 


20  Ferocncy  and  ImpoinuriUy  in  Pray  en 

devoted  your  lives  to  the  fervice  of  God  ?  have  you  wot 
promifed  to  keep  his  commandments  ?  How  do  you  ex- 
pe6t  to  fulfil  your  promile  ?  Are  you  not  ready  to  fay, 
'  Not  unlefs  he  be  pleafed  himfelf  to  preferve  and  keep 
'  me  ;  not  unlels  he  put  his  Spirit  within  me,  and  write 
'  his  laws  in  my  heart  ?'  And  do  you  not  know,  that  he 
hath  faid,  "  Yet  for  all  thefe  things  will  1  be  enquired  of 
"  by  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  to  do  it  for  theni  ?"  I  will  alk  you 
one  queftion  more.  Do  you  not  know  that  you  are  yet  in 
an  evil  world  ?  Do  you  not  know  what  variety  of  temp- 
tations and  fufFerings  you  may  yet  be  expofed  to  ?  How 
ihall  you  bear  up  under  trials ;  how  fhall  you  "  glorify 
"  God  in  the  day  of  vilitation,"  if  you  live  habitually  at  a 
diftance  from  him  ?  Chriflians,  it  is  to  him  you  mull 
look  when  trouble  cometh  upon  you.  All  other  refuge 
ivill  foon  fail :  and  vanity,  vanity,  be  feen  written  upon 
the  creature.  But  with  what  confufion  mufh  you  then  lift 
up  your  eyes  to  him,  if  you  forget  him  in  profperity  I 
Therefore  let  me  befeech  you,  in  the  mofi:  earneft  manner, 
to  renew  your  diligence  in  the  exercife  of  prayer.  In  a 
particular  manner,  I  muft  recommend  this  exercife  to 
young  perfons.  You,  my  dear  brethren,  are  expofed  to 
many  dangers,  your  flrength  fmall,  your  experience  little, 
your  knowledge  imperfe<!!^.  Live  a  life  of  prayer,  and  de- 
pendence upon  God.  Daniel  and  his  companions  were 
young  perfons,  yet  mighty  in  prayer :  therefore  learn  it 
early,  pra£tife  it  diligently,  and  wait  upon  it  habitually  and 
corrilantly.  Hear  what  the  prophet  fays  in  commenda- 
tion of  it.  If.  xl.  29,  30,  31.  "  He  giveth  power  to  the 
"  faint ;  and  to  them  that  have  no  might,  he  increafeth 
"  flrength.  Even  the  youths  Ihall  faint  and  be  weary, 
*'  and  the  young  men  fhall  utterly  fall.  But  they  that 
"  wait  upon  tiie  Lord  fhall  renew  their  flrength :  they 
"  fliall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  theyfliall  run  and 
"  not  be  weary,  and  they  fnall  walk  and  not  faint." 

4.  I  Ihall  conclude  the  fubjeft,  by  giving  you  two  or 
three  directions  for  the  prefervation  and  improvement  of 
the  fpiritual  life  ;  and  particularly  for  enabling  you  to 
perfevere  with  uniformity  and  comfort  in  the  exercife  of 
prayer. 


Fervency  and  Importunity  In  Prayfif.  fit 

1.  Be  watchful  ancl  circumfpecl  in  the  whole  of  your 
feonverfation.  Let  it  be-your  great  aim,  to  keep  confciences 
Void  of  oficnce  towards  God  and  towards  man.  Prayief 
and  watchfulnefs  have  a  reciprocal  influence  upon  one 
another.  Neglcd  of  prayer  will  make  you  yield  to  temp- 
tation, and  tiie  indulgence  of  fin  will  make  you  afraid  \o 
pray.  But  habitual  watchfulnefs  will  carry  you  with 
comfort  to  God,  at  the  hour  of  prayer,  both  in  thank- 
fulnefs  for  pafl  mercies,  and  reliance  on  him  for  future 
ftrength. 

2.  Obferve  with  attention  the  courfe  of  his  providence 
towards  you.  Enumerate  his  mercies  to  you  in  profperi- 
ty,  adore  his  righteous  will  in  adverfity.  Let  this  be  the 
work,  not  only  of  particular  feafons,  but  of  every  day. 
This  will  at  once  fhew  you  the  neceflity,  and  abundantly 
fupply  the  matter  of  prayer.  If  you  do  otherwife,  you  will 
go  to  prayer  without  any  clear  and  determinate  views  of 
what  you  are  to  pray  for,  and  then  it  is  no  wonder  that  it 
degenerate  into  a  lifelefs  form.     Once  more, 

3.  Be  much  employed  in  interceflion  for  others.  Thi4 
noble  teftimony  of  Chriftian  love,  has  the  moft  powerful 
influence  in  warming  the  heart,  and  enlivening  the  affec- 
tions in  prayer.  It  happens  frequently,  that  thofe  who 
have  hardly  a  word  to  fay  for  themfelves,  and  whofe  de- 
fires  are  quite  heavy  and  languid  as  to  what  regards  their 
own  interefl,  no  fooner  come  to  fupplicate  for  others,  than 
they  are  enabled  to  pour  out  their  whole  fouls  before  God 
with  the  greateft  fulnefs  vt  expreflion,  and  enlargement  of 
aiTeiSlion  ;  as  if  it  were  the  purpofe  of  God,  to  invite  us  to 
this  exercife,  by  honoring  it  with  a  particular  mark  of  his 
acceptance  and  approbation.  Oh  that  it  would  pleafo  God 
to  revive  among  profelhng  Chriftians  a  fpirit  of  prayer, 
that  when  they  cannot  unite  in  fentiment,  they  may  unite 
in  pra3'er ;  that  when  imj^iety  and  immorality  are  bold 
and  infolcnt,  they  may  oppofe  them  by  prayer  ;  and  that 
when  they  are  flandered,  infulted,  or  abufed  by  their  ene- 
mies, they  may  find  unfpeakable  comfort  in  imitating 
their  dying  Saviour,  loving  them  that  hate  them,  blefling 
them  that  curfe  them,  and  praying  for  them  who  defpite* 

Vol.  II.  G 


22  Feroency  and  Importunity  in  Prayer, 

fully  ufe  tliem  and  perfecute  them.  I  conclude  with  the 
words  of  the  apoftle  Jude,  ver.  24,25.  "  Now  unto  him 
*'  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  prefent  you 
"  faultlefs  before  the  prefence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding 
"  joy,  to  the  only  wife  God,  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  ma- 
"  jefty,  dominion  and  power,  both  now  and  ever.  Amen." 


0     23     ] 


>  OOM  OOCM  eOMOOM  OM*  DOOQ  ^  QOOO  WOO  eO«0  CM*  MOC  MM  ••••  000*  OMO  tOQ*  MO*  4|M 

B  aooo  too*  aoo»  o*«o  oooo  aooo  «aaa  omo  oooo  mo*  ooao  efm  ooo»  oooo  0»3o  oocm  0000  «aa9 


OBEDIENCE  and  SACRIFICE  COMPARED. 

A 

SERMON. 


I    SAMUEL,    XV.  22. 

Mtith  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings  and  sa- 
crifices^ as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold^ 
to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice ;  and  to  hearken,  than 
the  fat  of  rams. 

THAT  obedience  is  due  to  God  from  all  his  intelli- 
gent creatures,  I  fuppofe  none  here  prefent  will 
deny.  It  is  the  original  unchangeable  law  of  creation, 
which  ever)"-  after  difcoveiy  fcrved  not  to  undetermine,  but 
to  fupport  and  confirm.  It  was  the  religion  of  man  in  his 
primitive  flate  of  innocence  ;  and  it  Ihall  be  the  religion 
of  heaven,  when  we  fliall  fee  our  Maker  as  he  is.  The 
very  excellence  of  truth  itfelf  lies  in  its  influence  on  holi- 
nefs,  and  the  very  purpofe  of  every  facred  inftitution  is  to 
form  our  minds  to  a  habit  of  obedience,  and  fubjedtion  to 
the  will  of  God. 

In  the  mean  time  it  is  of  the  utmoft  moment,  that  w* 
have  clear  and  juft  conceptions  of  the  nature  and  princi- 
ples of  obedience,  and  that  we  guard  againft  the  errors 
that  are  often  committed  on  this  fubjeft.  Some,  from  a 
partial  or  excelfive  attachment  to  one  branch  of  duty,  are 
apt  to  difparage  another ;  and  fome  arc  apt  to  make  a  merit 
of  their  zeal  and  diligence  in  one  duty,  as  if  it  would  pro- 
cure indulgence  for  them  in  the  wilful  negled  of  another. 
From  the  language  in  the  remarkable  paflage  of  fcripturc 
which  I  have  chofen  for  my  text,  it  is  plain,  that  facrificeg, 


34  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared, 

or  the  outward  worfhip  of  God,  are  fometimes  made  t 
cover  for  the  neglcdl  of  obedience.  Nor  are  there  want- 
ing other  paiTages  where  complaints  are  brought  againll 
the  fame  miftake.  On  the  other  hand,  this  pafTage  where 
the  text  lies,  and  another  expreffion  akin  to  it  in  the  gof- 
pel,  *'  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  facrifice,"  have  been 
grofsly  mifapplied,  to  bring  contempt  upon  every  pofitive 
inflitution,  and  even  upon  the  whole  exercifes  of  piety  ; 
and  that  by  fuch  perfons  a§  do  very  little  honor  either  to 
themfelves  or  their  opinions,  by  the  perfection  of  their 
obedience.  I  have  cholen  thefe  words,  with  a  view  to 
the  information  and  convi6lion  of  both  thefe  forts  of  per- 
fons, and  for  the  infi:ru6lioa  and  edification  of  thofe  who 
defire  to  walk  in  the  ftraight  path  of  duty,  without  turning 
to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left.  In  difcourfmg  further 
upon  them,  I  propofe, 

1.  To  open  a  little,  and  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  hif- 
tory  which  gave  occafion  to  the  words  of  the  prophet. 

2.  To  fliew  in  what  refpedl  it  is,  that  obedience  is  op- 
pofed  and  prefered  to  facrifice,  or  jullly  called  better^  as 
in  the  words  of  the  text, 

3.  In  the  lad  place,  To  make  fome  application  of  the 
fubject. 

I.  First,  then,  I  am  to  open  a  little,  and  make  a  few 
remarks  upon  the  hiftory  which  gave  occafion  to  the  v/ords 
of  the  prophet.  This  will  be  the  more  proper,  that  the 
fetting  this  part  of  the  facred  ftory  in  a  clear  light",  will 
both  afford  us  fome  excellent  inftructions^  and  alfo  obviate 
the  cavils  of  unreafonable  men.  The  people  called  A-nia-^ 
lekites  were  derived,  and  had  their  name,  from  one  Ama- 
Itk^  the  fon  of  Efau's  eldefl  fon  Eliphaz,  by  a  concubine, 
(Gen.  XXX vi.  12.)  The  firll  mention  we  have  made  of 
them  as  a  people,  was  their  being  engaged  in  a  very  un- 
juft  war  with  the  children  of  Ifrael,  (Ex.  xvii.  8.)  This 
provoked  Gov.lto  determine,  or  at  leafl  uix)nthis  occafion 
he  was  pleafed  to  intimate,  their  being  devoted  to  utter 
deftniation;  as  Exod.  xvii.  14,  15, 16.  "  And  the  Lord 
♦<  faid  unto  Mofes,  Write  this  for  a  memorial  in  a  book, 
*'  aud  reheaxfq  it  in  the  ears  of  Jofhua  :  for- 1  will  utterly' 


Obedience  and  SiUrtf$e  compared.  1^ 

**  put  out  the  remenibrancs  of  Anialek  from  under  heaven. 
"  And  Moifs  built  an  altar,  and  called  the  name  of  it- 
"  Jehovah  niiri.  For  he  faid,  Becaulc  the  Lord  hatli  fworn, 
^^  that  the  Lord  will  have  war  widi  Amalek  from  genera- 
**  tionto  p^eneration.'* 

The  injullice  and  impiety  of  this  aflionofthe  Amale- 
kites,  which  provoked  God,  not  only  to  threaten,  but  to 
fwear  their  deilrudlion,  niav  be  learned  from  the  account 
of  this  matter  given  us  in  Dcut.  xxv.  17,  18,  19.  *'  Ile- 
"  member  what  Amalek  did  unto  thee  by  the  v^ay,  when 
*'  ye  were  come  forth  out  of  Egypt :  hov/  he  met  thee  by 
"  the  way,  and  fmote  the  hindmoll  of  diee,  even  all  that 
"  were  feeble  behind  thee,  when  diou  v/afl  faint  and  wea- 
•■*■  ry ;  and  he  feared  not  God.  Thercfcrc  it  Ihall  be,  when 
**  the  Lord  thy  God  hadi  given  thee  rclt  from  all"  thine  ene- 
"  mies  round  about,  in  the  land  v\  hich  the  Lord  thy  God 
**  (riveth  thee  for  an  inheritance  to  polfefii  it,  that  thou 
*'  flialt  blot  out  the  remembrance  of  Amalek  from  under 
*'  heaven  ;  thou  ihalt  not  forget  it.*'  From  this  it  appears, 
tliat  the  Amalekitec  attacked  the  Ifraelites  unprovoked,  and 
without  any  caufe  ;  for  the  Ifraelites  neither  intended  to 
pofl'efs  themfelves  of  their  country,  nor  were  they  fo  much 
as  pafllngby  their  borders,  which  might  have  given  them 
fome  caufe  of  fufpicion.  Without  any  thing  of  this  fort, 
they  came  out  of  their  own  country,  to  attack  the  Ifrael- 
ites  in  the  wiidernefs,  either  in  confequence  of  the  old 
grudge  between  Efau  and  Jacob,  or  from  a  principle  of 
covetoufnefs,  to  feize  upoa.the  riches  which  they  heard 
the  children  of  Ifrael  had  brought  out  cf  Egypt. 

It  is  further  obferved,  that  they  cut  ofi'  thofe  tiiat  were 
faint  and  weary,  when  the  diftrefied  condition  of  that  peo- 
ple feemed  rather  to  call  for  campaihon  antl  help.  I'his 
was  unjull  and  cruel ;  and  difcovers  them  to  have  been  a. 
favage  and  profligate  people  ;  cfpecially  if  one  circunu 
llancc  more  be  taken  notice  of,  that  they  did  all  this  in 
open  defiance  and  contempt  of  God.  They  had  no  doubt 
lieard,  that  he  interefted  himfelf  in  a  particular  manner 
in  the  prelcrvation  of  the  Ifraelites,  and  was,  in  a  literal 
fenfe,  their  king  and  governor ;  and  therefore  it  is  faid 
particularly,  vcr.  18.   oi  tlic  lall  cited  paflkgc,  tliat  the 


2f6  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

Amalekites  "  feared  not  God."  Is  there  any  thing  abfurd 
or  unfuitable  to  the  majefly  of  the  King  of  kings,  in  his 
declaring  he  would  have  war  with  fuch  a  people  from  ge- 
neration to  generation,  and  at  laft  deftroy  them,  as  he 
certainly  foreknew  that  they  would  not  grow  better,  but 
worfc  and  worfe  ? 

Let  us  not  omit  to  obferve  the  long-fuffering  and  pati- 
ence of  God.  It  was  not  till  fome  hundreds  of  years  af- 
terwards, that  orders  were  ifllied  out  to  put  the  fentence 
in  execution  againft  that  people,  when  they  had  filled  up 
the  meafure  of  their  iniquities,  and  were  ripe  for  judgment. 
This  appears  evidently  from  the  hints  of  their  character 
given  in  the  chapter  where  the  text  lies.  They  are  cal- 
led, verfe  i8.  *'  the  fmners  the  Amalekites,"  by  way  of 
emphafis,  to  fhe  w,  that  they  were  eminently  wicked  above 
all  other  people.  It  is  no  lefs  evident,  that  their  king 
that  ruled  over  them  v/as  a  bloody  cruel  man,  frpm  the 
words  of  Samuel  to  him,  ver.  33.  "As  thy  fword  hath 
*'  made  women  chikllefs,  fo  fhall  thy  mother  be  childlefs 
"  among  women."  Thefe  circumftances  make  it  highly 
probable,  that  this  prince  and  his  people  were  commonly 
employed  in  the  trade  of  war,  in  plundering  and  murder- 
ing fuch  of  their  neighbors  as  they  were  able  to  fubdue. 
Now,  how  gi'oundlefs  are  all  the  tragical  outcries  of  unbcr 
lievers  againft  this  part  of  the  hiftory  of  the  Bible  !  Is  not 
God  the  fupreme  difpofer  of  every  event  ?  Is  not  the  fate 
of  nations  decided  by  his  righteous  will  ?  Is  he  not  known 
by  the  exercife  of  this  his  holy  prerogative,  "Vengeance 
"  is  mine  ;  I  will  repay  ?"  It  in  inconteftable,  from  ma- 
ny undoubted  facts  in  the  hiftory  of  Providence,  that 
"  verily  there  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth."  Oh  ! 
that  this  were  confidered  in  time  by  many  who  arc  bold 
enough  to  impeach  the  condu6l  of  their  Maker,  to  whom 
one  part  of  the  character  of  the  Amalekites  feems  very  ap- 
plicable, "  They  fear  not  God." 

It  will  perhaps  be  expefted,  that  I  Ihould  take  particu- 
lar notice  of  that  part  of  the  command  given  to  Saul  to 
deftroy  the  "  infants  and  fucklings,"  together  with  thofe 
who  were  come  to  age.  On  this  you  may  obferve,  that 
it  was  no  more  than  the  exercife  of  that  abfolute  right  whigji 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared,  27 

God  hath  to  the  lives  of  all  his  creatures.     He  gave  them 
at  h  s  pleafure,  and  he  may  recall  them  whenever  he  will. 
Tho  e  who  ofF;r  this  objeftion  againfl  the  fcnpture  hiftoty 
donotfeemto  confider,  that  it  militates  equally  agamll 
the  daily  and  vifible  courfe  of  Providence.     How  many 
i4nt    do  we  fee  daily  carried  off  by  the  difeafes  incident 
o  thitftate  '     Do  not  the  half  of  mankind  die  before.they 
orow  up  to  the  years  of  reafon  ?     Does  this  happen  with- 
futSreknJwledge  and  Providence  of  God      or  dare 
any  charge  him  with  being  unjuft  in  this  part  of  his  wil  > 
If  we  dare  not  prefume  to  go  fo  far,  then,  the  command- 
ing  the  children  to  be  cut  off  by  the  hand  of  man  is  a  mere 
circumftance,  that  cannot  alter  the  nature  of  the  decree 
The  fovereignty  of  God  appears  in  the  cleareft  manner 
from  the  whole  of  his  written  word,  and  from  what  hap- 
pens every  day  before  our  eyes.     Inftead,  therefore,  of 
raifing  prefumptuous  objeaions  againil  fuch  inftances  as 
this  referred  to  in  the  text,  it  would  be  far  more  juft,  as 
well  as  dutiful,  to  infer  from  them,  that  we  are   «  con- 
"  ceived  in  fm,  and  brought  forth  in  iniquity;      that  we 
lie  under  an  univerfal   forfeiture  of  life,  and  therefore  a 
righteous  God  may  execute  it  upon  us  at  whatever  time, 
and  in  whatever  manner,  it  feems  good  unto  himlelt. 

I  might  alfo  obferve,  that  if  we  confider  the  circum- 
ftances  in  which  thefe  Amalckite  children  were,  ^ocnihc 
charaaer  of  their  parents,  we  fliall  fee,  in   the  conduct 
of  God  towards  them,  a  mixture  of  mercy  witli  judgment. 
I  have  already  obferved,  from  the  facred  hiilory,  what 
wicked  perfons  the  Amalekites  were.     Now,  fuppoling 
their  children  left  to  be  trained  up  by  their  parents,  th« 
prefumption  is,  that  they  would  have  been  formed  by  tJieir 
pernicious  example,  to  murder  and  rapine,  and  all  iorts 
of  wickcdnefs;  and,  in  particular,  to  a  hatred  of  the  peo- 
ple and  God  of  Ifrael.  This  would  have  rendered  their  con- 
dition infinitely  more  miferable  than  we  can  poffibly  fuppofe 
it  by  their  being  cut  off  in  infancy,  before  the  commiffion 
of  aftual  guilt.     Have  we  not  every  day  before  our  eyes 
examples  of  perfons  living  and  dying  in  fin,  to  whom  it 
would  have  been  a  great  mcrcv  if  their  eyes,  as  foon   as 
^yertheyfaw  the  light,  had  been  clofed  up  in  everlalling 


^5  Obedience  and  Sacriftcc  C6mpated. 

ciarktiefs  ?  Upon  the  whole,  we  ha^'fe  reafon  to  be  fulfy 
fatisfied  on  every  fuch  queftion  as  this,  by  refolving  it  in- 
to the  fovereij};nty  of  God  ;  but  I  have  fliortly  mentioned 
this  partiaular  to  fliow  how  incapable  we  are  of  forming  a 
proper  judgment  of  the  procedure  of  Divine  Providence  ; 
and  that  the  order  to  dellroy  "  both  man  and  woman,  in- 
*'  fant  and  fuckling,"  when  given  by  the  Lord  of  nature^ 
hadi  nodiing  in  it  either  unjufi:  or  unmerciful. 

This  awful  command  was  given  to  Saul,  the  king  of 
Ifrael ;  which  he,  being  fully  fatisfied  of  its  earning  from 
God,  prepared  himfelf  to  execute.  But  he  and  the  peo- 
ple, from  a  principle  of  covetoufnefs,  referved  what  was 
moft  valuable  of  the  cire(Sls  of  the  Amalekites  for  their  own 
ufe,  in  direft  contradiftion  to  the  command  of  God,  who 
had  ordered  the  cattle  and  fubllance  of  that  people  alfo  to 
be  deftroyed.  This  was  probably  done  to  {how^  that  their 
puniflimcnt  was  an  a6tof  pure  juflice,  v/ithout  any  inten- 
tion to  enrich  his  inheritance  by  it.  When  the  prophet 
Samuel  challenged  Saul  for  hisdifobedience,  he  endeavors 
to  cover  his  condu6l  by  a   pretext   of  religion,-  verfe  15. 

*'  And  Saul  faid, The  people  fpared  the  beft  of  the 

"  fheep,  and  of  the  oxen,  to  facrifice  unto  the  Lord  thy 
"  God ;  and  the  reft  we  have  utterly  deftroyed."  To  this 
mytext  is  theanfwer,  made  by  Samuel,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  :  "  And  Samuel  faid,  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  de- 
"  light  in  burnt- ofterings  and  facrifices,  as  in  obeying  th*e 
''  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey,  is  better  than  fa^ 
*'  crifice  ;  and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams.'* 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  second  ^tViZXTiX  head,  I  will  make 
a  few  obfervations  on  this  piece  of  hiftoiy,  for  your  inftruc- 
tion. 

I.  How  eafily  are  people  mifled  into  difobedience  by 
their  prefent  interell,  or  carnal  inclinations  !  how  ready 
are  thefe  to  mix  themfeives  in  all  oui"  anions,  and  to  turn 
v/hat  was  intended  as  an  inftance  of  obedience,  into  an  acl 
of  impiety  and  *ranigreffion  !  The  children  of  Ifrael  would' 
not  deftroy  the  goodly  fubftr.nce  of  the  Amalekites,  ac- 
cording to  die  exprel's  command  of  God,  that  they  might 
have  it  to  themfeives  ;  though  it  is  remarkable,  that  they 
do  not  appear  from  the  hiftory  Xo  have  made  any  difficult 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared.  19 

in  executing  what  was  by  far  the  hardeft  part  of  the  com- 
mand, viz.  the  flaying  of  man  and  woman,  infant  and 
fuckling,  that  fell  into  their  hands.  Agag  indeed,  and 
him  only,  they  excepted,  perhaps  to  grace  their  triumph, 
or  from  fome  other  felfifh  motive.  Interefl  feems  to  have 
prevailed  here  ;  but  there  are  other  paflions  alfo  which  too 
often  mix  themfelves  with  our  religion.  Malice  and  an- 
ger, for  example,  and  a  defire  of  revenge,  are  often  {ttn 
to  intermingle  themfelves  with  our  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  convert  one  of  the  moll  amiable  virtues  into  a 
detellable  crime. 

2.  You  may  obferve  how  natural  it  is  for  people,  when 
challenged  for  any  fault,  to  lay  the  blame  of  it  upon  others, 
even  when  there  is  little  profpe6t  of  hiding  their  own  guilt. 
*' But  the  people,"  fays  Saul,  ver.  21.  *' took  of  the  fpoil, 
*'  Iheep  and  oxen,  the  chief  of  the  things  which  fliould 
"  have  been  utterly  deftroyed."  Whereas,  though  no 
doubt  they  were  alfo  in  the  fault,  he  wns  much  more  guilty 
than  they.  He  had  received  the  particular  command  from 
God  :  he  was  king  and  leader  of  die  people,  and  ought  to 
Irnve  reftra,ined  them  from  acting  contrary  to  the  divine 
purpofe.  This,  however,  he  was  fo  far  from  {o  much  as 
attempting,  that  he  is  fpoken  of  as  confenting  to,  and  a 
chief  adlor  in  the  dlFence,  rer.  9.  "  But  Saul  and  the  peo- 
*'  pie  fpared  Agag,  and  the  bell  of  the  flieep,  and  of  the 
*'  oxen."  Thisdifpofition  feems  to  be  as  old  as  fin  itfelf ; 
for  we  fee  it  in  the  cafe  of  Adam,  after  eating  the  forbid- 
den fruit :  Gen.  iii.  11,  12.  "  Hafl  thou  eaten  of  the  tree 
"  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou  Ihouldft  not  eat  ? 
"  And  the  man  faid,  The  woman  whom  thou  gavell  to 
"  be  with  me,  flie  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat."  We 
ought  to  be  humbled  for  it,  as  a  part  of  the  corruption  of 
our  nature,  which  is  not  only  prone  to  the  commiffion  of 
fm,  but  backward  to  repentance  or  confefiion. 

3.  We  may  fee  it  is  no  unufual  thing  for  men  to  ima- 
gine they  have  been  obedient  to  God  even  in  that  ver>'  ac- 
tion by  which  they  have  in  a  remarkable  manner  ihown 
their  difobedience.  This  was  plainly  the  cafe  with  Saul, 
whom  we  find  maintaining  and  infilling  upon  his  inno- 
cence, ver.  20.  "  And  Saul  faid  unto  Samuel,  Yea,  I 

Vol.  II.  D 


30  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared, 

"  have  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  have  gone  the 
*'  way  which  the  Lord  lent  me,  and  have  brought  Agag 
*'  the  king  of  Amalek,  and  have  utterly  deftroyed  the 
"  Amalekites."  Where  ever  any  duty,  in  its  fubftance, 
in  its  circumftances,  or  even  in  its  principle,  varies  from 
the  rules  laid  dovvii  for  it  in  the  word  of  God,  it  is  efien- 
tially  defective ;  and  where  the  fault  is  capital,  it  becometh 
a  fm.  This,  I  believe,  will  be  always  found  to  be  the  cafe 
where  merit  is  pleaded  from  human  performances.  True 
obedience  is  always  humble,  and  fenfible  of  the  imperfec- 
tions attending  it.  Oflentatious  obedience,  if  it  were  for 
no  other  reafon,  is  an  abomination  in  the  fight  of  God. 

4.  How  often  does  it  happen,  that  the  excufes  for  fm 
are  the  aggravations  of  it !  It  feemed  to  Saul,  that  he  had 
fully  juftified  his  conduct  by  faying,  that  he  fpared  of  the 
bell  of  the  fpoil,  to  facrihce  unto  the  Lord.  If  there  was 
no  fuch  thing  in  his  or  the  people's  mind,  when  they  de- 
parted from  their  commiffion,  then  it  v/as  a  fearful  aggra- 
vation of  his  fm,  to  add  to  it  the  guilt  of  falfehood  and 
hypocrify  ;  nor  did  it  feem  to  want  impiety,  to  pretend 
to  offer  facrifices  from  the  accurfed  fubllance  of  that  de- 
voted race.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  really  from  the 
beginning  intended  to  prefent  a  part  of  the  fpoil  as  a  -fa- 
crifice  to  God,  it  fhows  the  great  deceitfulnefs  of  fm,  which 
fuggefled  this  unholy  compofition,  and  made  them  think, 
that  their  difobedience  might  be  atoned  for  by  a  gift  at  the 
alter.  Many  like  inllances  might  be  given,  in  which  the 
excufes  for  fm  are  an  addition  to  the  guilt.  There  are 
not  wanting  fome  who,  either  in  a  doubtful  or  explicit 
manner,  would  lay  the  blame  of  their  fms  upon  their 
Maker,  and  impute  to  the  influence  of  his  providence 
what  belongs  to  the  freedom  of  their  own  wills.  At  the 
fame  time,  it  is  very  remarkable,  though  melancholy  to 
refleft  upon,  that  thole  excufes  for  fm  which  carry  in  them 
the  mofl;  daring  profanity,  are  commonly  moft  ftupify- 
ing  to  the  confcience.  Such  is  the  ftate  of  all  thofe  who 
fortify  themfelves  in  an  evil  praftice,  by  embracing  loofe 
principles,  who,  having  fu'fl  given  way  to  unbridled  incli- 
nation in  the  breach  of  God's  laws,  Heel  themfelves  againll 
conviQion  and  repentance,  by  a  denial  of  ]i]^  truth. 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared.  31'- 

5.  How  p;reat  is  the  folly  of  men  who  hope  to  atone 
for  their  difobeclience  by  any  compenfation,  but  particu- 
larly by  religious  rites !  Saul  and  his  people,  whatever 
were  their  views  at  firfl:,  lecni  to  have  hoped  that  they 
might  efcape  the  punifliment  of  dilobedience  by  ofiering 
facrifices.  There  feems  to  have  been  a  tendency  to  this 
among  the  Jews,  in  general,  in  after  times  ;  and  it  is  the 
miftaken  liope  of  hypocrites  in  every  age.  But  how  ma- 
nifell  is  the  eiTor !  how  grofs  is  the  delufion  !  Sacrifices, 
and  all  ads  of  worfliip,  derive  their  very  beauty  and  ex- 
cellence from  thedifpofition  oFthe  worfliipper.  Solomon 
tells  us,  Prov.  xv.  8.  "  The  facrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an 
"  abomination  to  the  Lord ;  but  the  prayer  ui  tlie  upright 
"  is  his  delight."  How  abfurd  and  contradicloiy,  hov/ 
diflionorable  to  God,  is  it,  for  the  fame  perfon  to  be  a 
zealous  worfliipper  and  a  wicked  liver,  a  man  fcrv^ent  in 
prayer  and  deceitful  in  dealing,  heavenly  in  his  language 
and  fenfual  in  his  heart !  One  would  think  the  dreadful 
inconfiftency  of  fuch  a  conduct  would  alarm  the  moil 
drowfy  confcience  ;  but  God,  in  righteous  judgment,  gives 
up  to  a  fpirit  of  flumber,  that  they  may  be  the  ftandard  of 
punifliment  for  the  greateft  fumers,  who  fhall  be  appoint- 
ed their  portion  "  with  hypocrites  and  unbelievers,  in  the 
**  lake  tliat  burns  with  fire  and  brimflone  for  evermore." 

II.  I  PROCEED  to  the  5<?c<7n^  thing  propofed ;  which  was, 
To  fhow  in  what  refpecls  it  is  that  obedience  is  oppofed 
and  preferred  to  facrifice,  or  juftly  called  better.,  as  in  the 
words  of  the  text.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  tliis  paf- 
fage  produced  in  order  to  prove  the  value  of  moral  above 
poftive  precepts.  Moral  precepts,  I  fuppofe  you  know, 
are  precepts  of  perpetual  and  unchangeable  obligation  ; 
and  pofitive,  fuch  as  either  have  n3t,  or  do  not  fecm  to 
have,  any  intrinfic  excellence  in  themfclves,  but  depend 
upon  the  immediate  and  exprefs  inflitution  of  God.  Now 
though,  no  doubt,  if  it  is  done  with  proper  care,  and  upon 
legitimate  principles,  a  diflin£tion  may  be  llatcd  be- 
tween thefe  different  kinds  of  duties  :  yet  it  is  plain,  that 
this  cannot  be  the  fpirit  of  the  pafTage  before  us.  There 
needs  no  more  to  fatisfy  us  of  this,  than  to  reflect  upon  the. 


52  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

hiflory  illuftrated  above,  which  gave  cccafion  to  the  words 
of  the  prophet.  That  command  of  God,  for  difobedience 
to  which  Saul  was  fo  feverely  reproved,  and  afterwards  fo 
fignally  pnniihed,  was  fo  far  from  being  in  itfelf  a  moral 
duty  antecedent  to  the  command,  that  it  was  not  merely 
a  pofitive,  but  an  occafional  and  temporary  duty ;  nay 
without  the  exprefs  appointment  and  authority  of  God,  it 
would  have  been  an  atrocious  crime,  liiz.  "  Utterly  de- 
"  ftroying  the  Amalekites,  man  and  woman,  infant  and 
"  fuckling,"  We  have  not  therefore  the  leaft  encourage- 
ment from  this  example  to  make  light  of  any  command 
that  is  fupported  by  the  inftitution  and  authority  of  God. 
Well  then,  may  it  be  faid,  were  not  facrifices  inllitutedby 
him  ?  and  how  does  the  prophet  affirm  in  this  paffage, 
that  "  obedience  is  better  than  facrifice  ?*'  For  ilJultrating 
this,  and  at  the  fame  time  guarding  it  againfl  perverfion 
and  abufe,  I  intreat  your  attention  to  the  following  obfer- 
vations. 

I.  Obedience  is  preferred  to  facrifices  as  they  were 
lancommanded,  free,  and  voluntary.     If  we  attend  to  the 
facrifices  under  the  law,  we  fiiall  find  them  of  different 
kinds ;  particularly,  we  lliall  find  them  diilinguifhed  in 
this  refpe6l,  that  fome  of  them  were  exprefsly  and  pefi- 
tively  ordained,  and  others  were  left  to  the  good-will  or 
fpontaneous   inclination  of  the   offerer.     The  firft   were 
binding  upon  the  whole  of  that  people  in  the  flrongefi:  man- 
ner, and  could  not  be  difpenfed  with  ;  the  other  were  left 
to  themfelves,  as  the  occafion  fliould  point  out  the  proprie- 
ty, and  the  piety  or  gratitude  of  their  hearts  fhould  dilpofe 
to  the  performance.     It  would  be  a  great  millake  to  fup- 
pofe,  that  the  appointed  fervice  of  the  fanftuary  might  be 
omitted  or  altered  by  any  human  prudence,  or  difpenfed 
with,  even  under  pretence  of  obedience  to  the  moral  law. 
The  obfervation  oi"  the  fabbath,  ofcircumcifion,  of  the  paf- 
fover,  the  daily  burnt- offering,  the  aimual  facrifice  on  the 
great  day  of  expiation,  the  trefpafs-ofl'ering,   and  many 
others,  were  fo  indifper.fibly  neceffary,  that  no  oppofition 
was  to  be  prefumed  or  imagined  between  them  and  the 
rnoral  law.     Nay,  the  whole  circumftances  of  thefe  riles 
were  precifely  fpecified,  aiid  thofe  who  varied  any  thing 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  c&mparcd.  33 

in  tlie  manner  of  their  ohferv.ition  were  to  be  cut  oflTroni 
their  people.  For  this  fee  Exodus  xii.  19. :  x::xi.  14. 
and  many  other  parages.  I  mud  further  obderve,  that 
even  with  refpe<5l  to  voluntary  or  free-will  offerings,  thou.frh 
they  were  left  at  liberty  Avhether  they  would  offer  iiich  at 
all  or  not ;  yet  if  they  did  offer,  the  manner  in  which  it 
behoved  to  be  conduced,  was  appointed  precifely,  and 
they  were  forbitlden  to  depart  from  it,  under  the  iiime  aw- 
ful i"an<?tion.  You  may  fee  the  rules  laid  down  for  peace- 
offerings  in  the  2d  and  3d  ciw]'>ters  of  Leviticus  ;  and  for 
the  danger  of  any  error  in  attending  on  them,  fee  Lev.  vii. 
20,  21. ;  Lev.  xvii.  8,  9.  Now,  nothing  can  be  more 
plain,  than  that  the  facrif.ces  which  Saul  and  his  people 
had  in  view  to  offer,  or  at  leall  pretended  to  have  had 
in  view,  were  voluntary  or  free-will  offerings  :  tlie^'  were 
no  part  of  the  regular.  Hated,  unalterable  fervice  of  the 
fan^uary ;  but  might  be  offered  or  not  as  they  them- 
felves  thought  proper.  When  you  remember  this,  my 
brethren,  you  will  fee  with  how  great  jullice  and  force  the 
prophet  oppofcs  facrifices  of  this  kind,  to  obeying  the  voice 
of  the  Lord :  *'  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt- 
"  offerings,  as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?"  As  if 
he  had  faid,  Can  you  imagine  that  God  will  1^  as  well 
pleafed  with  gifts  of  your  own  devifing,  as  with  a  ftrift  and 
punQual  execution  of  the  orders  which  himfelf  had  given; 
efpecially  when  the  very  facrifices  you  would  offer  to  him, 
are  purchafed  by  the  breach  of  his  own  exprefs  command? 
I'he  words  of  the  text  having  been  fpoken  by  the  Old- 
Tefiament  prophet,  and  in  language  direQly  fuited  to  the 
circumftances  of  that  difpcnfation,  I  have  kept  the  laws 
of  the  Mofaic  ceconomy  clofely  in  view.  The  fpirit  how- 
ever of  the  whole,  and  the  truth  refulting  from  it,  belongs 
as  clearly  and  fenfibly  to  us  as  to  the  fatliers.  We  are 
not  to  prefume  to  make  light  of  any  inftitution  of  God, 
though,  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  of  a  pofitive  nature. 
But  confidering  facrifices  as  including  all  a£ls  of  worlhip, 
nay  all  acts  of  religion  or  fervice  to  God,  of  whatever 
kind,  fo  far  as  they  are  voluntaiy  in  their  cirumlhnces, 
let  us  not  think  to  put  them  in  ihe  room  of  obedience  to 
his  law.  If  any  man,  from  this  paffage  of  fcripture,  fliall 
take  liberty  to  defpife  the  fiibbath,  to  forbear  prayer  in  fc- 


34  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

cret  and  in  family,  to  negleft  the  facratnents  or  inftitiited 
worfliip  of  God,  he  perverteth  and  wrelleth  the  fcriptures, 
to  his  own  deflruftion.  On  the  other  hand,  if  any  perfon, 
under  pretence  of  extraordinary  prayer,  fhall  negle(!t  his 
caUing,  if  he  Ihall  put  voluntary  fafts  and  bodily  mortifi- 
cation in  the  room  of  repentance,  if  he  Ihall  make  donations 
to  the  poor,  or  to  facred  ufes,  inilead  of  paying  his  juft 
debts,  to  the  prejudice  of  others,  it  may,  with  gi'eat  pro- 
priety, be  faicl  to  him  in  the  words  of  Samuel,  "  Hath  the 
*'  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings,  as  in  obeying 
*'  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey,  is  better  than 
*'  facrifice  ;  and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams." 

2.  Obedience  is  oppofed  to  facrifices  as  they  are  falfe 
and  hypocritical.  Even  in  thofc  facriiices  that  were  moll 
exprefsly  appointed,  and  of  the  moll  indifpenfible  obliga- 
tion, there  might  be  an  effential  defeft,  from  the  inward 
difpofition  not  correfponding  to  the  outward  adlion.  Rea- 
fon,  as  well  as  fcripture,  teacheth  us,  that  in  all  a6ts  of 
worfliip,  the  fuicerity  of  the  heart  makes  the  chief  ingre- 
dient. It  is  the  prerogative,  and  th©  glory  of  God,  that 
he  fearcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reins  of  the  children 
of  men.  Therefore,  in  every  part  of  his  fervice,  he  re- 
quires integrity  and  uprightnefs  of  heart :  "  He  defireth 
*'  truth  in  the  inward  parts.*'  That  I  may  treat  this  part 
of  the  fubje6l  with  the  greater  diftinftnefs,  you  may  ob- 
ferve,  that  our  facrifices  or  worfliip  may  be  polluted  by  a 
two-fold  hypocrify.  Thefe  may  be  called,  hypocrify  to- 
wards God,  and  hypocrify  towards  man;  or,  in  other 
words,  inconfiftency  or  unfoundnefs  in  the  charadler,  and 
difguife  or  infmcerity  in  the  aft  of  worfliip. 

(i)  Our  facrifices  may  be  polluted  by  inconfiftency  or 
unfoundnefs  in  the  charafter.  This  is  the  cafe  where 
men  are  carelul  in  attending  upon  the  inflitutions  of  re- 
ligion, bat  do  not  make  confcience  of  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  God  in  their  ordinary  converfation  ;  Vvhen 
they  are  pundlual  in  the  outward  performance  of  the  du- 
ties of  the  firll  table  of  the  law,  but  are  under  no  refh-aint 
as  to  fms  againft  the  fecond ;  but,  in  a  particular  manner, 
when  they  are  under  the  unhappy  delufion  of  imagining, 
that  the  one  will  make  atonement  for  the  othcr^     I  believe 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared.  35 

it  will  be  found,  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  many  paffa- 
gcs  of  fcripture,  where  facrificcs  are  fpoken  of  with  difre- 
gard.  The  word  of  God  could  never  be  fo  inconfiilent 
with  itfelf,  as  to  condemn  them  fimply,  while  the  law  con- 
cerning them  Hood  in  force ;  but  when  they  were  offered 
by  wicked  men,  when  they  were  relied  on  as  the  whole 
of  religion,  or  made  to  compenlate  for  the  negledl  of  mo- 
ral  duties,  then  they  are  fpoken  of  with  abhorrence  :  Hofea 
vi.  6.  "  For  I  defired  mercy,  and  not  facrifice  ;  and  the 
"  knowledge  of  God,  more  than  burnt-offerings.  But 
"  they  like  men  have  tranfgrefled  the  covenant :  there 
"  have  they  dealt  treacheroufly  againft  me."  If.  i.  10. 
"  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye  rulers  of  Sodom  ;  give  ear 
*'  unto  the  law  of  your  God,  ye  people  of  Gomorrah.  To 
'*  what  purpofe  is  the  multitude  of  your  facrifices  unto  me  ? 
"  faith  the  Lord  :  I  am  full  of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams, 
"  and  the  fat  of  fed  beafts,  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of 
"  bullocks,  or  of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats.  AVhen  ye  come 
"  to  appear  before  me,  who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand 
"  to  tread  my  courts  ?  Bring  no  more  vain  oblations,  in- 
"  cenfe  is  an  abomination  unto  me,  the  new-moons  and 
"  fabbaths,  the  calling  of  aifemblies,  I  cannot  away  with, 
**  it  is  iniquity,  even  the  folemn  meeting.  Your  new- 
"  moons,  and  your  appointed  feafts,  my  foul  hateth  :  they 
*'  are  a  trouble  unto  me,  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And 
*'  when  ye  ipread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes 
"  from  you:  yea,  when  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will 
"  not  hear :  your  hands  are  full  of  blood.  Wafli  ye, 
*■'■  make  you  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from 
*'  before  mine  eyes,  ceafe  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well,  feek 
"  judgment,  relieve  the  opprefled,  judge  the  fatherlefs, 
"  plead  for  the  widow."  Pfal.  1.  16.  "  Unto  die  wicked 
"  God  faith.  What  haft  thou  to  do  to  declare  my  ftatutes, 
*'  or  that  thou  fhouldft  take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth  r" 
Amos  V.  21, — 24.  "  I  hate,  I  defpife  your  feaft-days, 
*'  and  I  will  not  fmell  in  your  folemn  afiemblies.  Though 
*'  ye  offer  me  burnt-offerings,  and  your  meat-offerings, 
*•'  I  will  not  accept  them  :  neither  will  I  regard  the  peace, 
offerings  of  your  fkt  beaffs.  Take  thou  away  from  me 
llie  noife  of  tliy  longs,  for  I  will  not  hear  the  melody  of 


4k 


36  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

*'  thy  viois.     But  let  judgment  nin  down'  as  watd'Si  and 
"  righteoufnefs  as  a  mighty  Itream." 

Indeed,  my  brethren,  what  can  be  more  abominable, 
than  tiie  \vorfliip  of  fuch  perfons  as  live  in  the  habitual  in- 
dulgence of  fm  ?  what  more  provoking  to  God  ?  what  more 
prefuniptuoLis  in  the  fmner  ?  And  who  can  fufficiently; 
wonder  at  the  blindnefs  of  all  of  this  cliaradler  ?  TJiat 
their  very  accefs  to  God,  which  fliould  increafe  their  ab- 
horrence of  fin,  fliould,  not^vithH:anding,  fet  them  at  eafe" 
in  tlie  commiflion  of  it  ?  Will  he  bear  more  in  you,  think 
you,  than  in  others  ?'  He  will  bear  lefs.  He  will  vilit  yon 
fooner  in  his  providence,  and  he  will  punifli  you  heavier 
to  all  eternity.  Things  are  quite  oppofite  to  what  you  fup- 
pofe.  Inftead  of  your  duties  rendering  your  fms  pardona- 
ble, your  fins  render  your  duties  infupportable. 

(2)  The  other  kind  of  hypocrify  is,  when  men  put  on 
religion  as  a  cloak  and  covering  on  their  wickednefs,  and, 
without  any  inward  regard  or  fenfe  of  duty  to  God,  aim 
oiily  at  the  praife  of  men.  This  is,  if  poffible,  more  da- 
ring and  prefumptuous  than  the  other,  or  rather  is  a  more 
advanced  ftage  of  the  fame  character.  It  was  for  this  that' 
our  Saviour  ib  feverely  reprehended  the  Pharifees  :  Matth.' 
vi.  I,  2.  "  Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your  alms  before 
*■'  men,  to  be  feen  of  them  :  othervvife  ye  have  no  reward 
''  of  your  Father  which  is  in  Iieaven.  Therefore,  when 
"  thou  doft  thine  alms,  do  not  found  a  trumpet  before 
**  thee,  as  the  hj-pocrites  do,  in  the  fynagogues,  and  in  the 
*'  llreets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men.  Verily  I  fay 
*'  unto  you,  they  have  their  reward."  And  ver.  5.  "And 
"  whtw  thou  pray  eft,  thou  ilialt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites  are : 
*'•  for  they  love  to  pray  Handing  in  the  fynagogues,  and  in 
*'  the  corners  of  the  Greets,  that  they  may  be  feen  of  men. 
*'  Verily  I  fay  unto  you,  they  have  their  reward."  But 
truly  this  is  not  all.  Some  are  not  fatisfied  with  doing 
things  in  themfelves  praife-worthy  from  oilentation,  or 
the  hope  of  applaufe  from  men,  but  they  endeavor,  by 
their  fliining  and  burning  zeal  in  fuch  thmgs,  to  blind  the 
eyes  of  others,  a.nd  hinder  tiiem  from  difcovering  and  pu- 
nifiiing  their  iecret  Vv'ickednefs  :  Matth.  xxiii.  14.  "Wo 
"  unto  you,  fcribes  and  Phurifees,  hypocrites.;  for  ye  dc- 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared^.  37 

"  vour  widou's  houfes,  and  for  a  pretence  make  Ion;r  pray* 
**  ers  ;  therefore  ye  Ihall  receive  the  greater  damna-* 
tion."  AVhencver  this  is  the  cafe,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
obedience  ihould  be  preferred  before  facrifice,  and  indeed 
fct  in  oppofition  to  it.  You  fee,  however,  that  this  is 
no  more  than  what  our  Saviour  fays  of  almfgiving, 
whicli  is  fo  eminent  a  moral  duty,  but  which  can  ne- 
ver find  acceptance  with  God,  when  done  merely  from 
a  principle  of  ollentation.  It  is  impoflible,  upon  the 
whole,  to  let  this  matter  in  a  jufter  light  than  our  Saviour 
has  done,  in  fpeaking  of  the  fame  Pharifees,  Matth.  xxiii* 
23.  "  Wo  unto  you,  fcribes  and  Pharifees,  hypocrite?  J 
"  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint  and  annife,  and  cummin,  and 
''  liiivc  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment, 
"  mercy,  and  faith  :  thefe  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not 
"  to  leave  the  other  undone/' 

3.  Obedience  is  oppofed  to  facrifices,  as  they  are  dead 
and  formal.  I  am  not  at  this  time  to  mention  all  the  ends 
which  an  infinitely  wife  God  intended  to  ferveby  the  ap- 
pointment of  facrifices  :  but  every  one  muft  be  fenfible, 
that  they  could  be  of  no  avail  without  taking  in  the  prin- 
ciple from  which  they  were  brought,  and  the  temper  and 
difpofition  of  the  offerer*  There  was  no  doubt  very  much 
of  outward  form  in  the  Mofaic  oeconomy  ;  and  the  ritual 
pra6\ices  bore  fo  gi'eat  bulk  in  it,  that,  by  way  of  compari- 
ibn  with  the  fpirituality  of  the  gofpel,  it  is  called  the  laiu  of 
a  carnal  commandment.  But  it  would  be  millaking  it 
very  much  to  fuppofe  that  God  was  fully  fatisfied  with,  or 
defu'ed  that  his  people  Ihould  reft  in  the  outward  form* 
This  is  plain  from  many  paffages  of  fcripture.  What  an 
example  of  fervor  and  elevation  of  fpirit  have  we  in  the 
exercife  and  language  of  the  Pfalmifl  David,  throue^h  the 
whole  of  his  writings  !  You  may  fee,  Pf.  v.  7.  "  But  as 
"  for  me,  1  will  come  into  thy  lioufe  in  the  multitude  of 
"  thy  mercy  :  and  in  thy  fear  will  I  worfliip  toward  thy 
"  holy  temple."  Pf.  xxvi.  6,  "  I  will  walli  my  hands  in 
"  innocency  :  fo  will  I  compafs  thine  altar,  O  Lord.'* 
To  this  you  may  add  what  he  fays,  Pfal.  li.  16,  17.  "  For 
*'  thou  defirell  not  facrifice,  elfe  would  I  give  it '.  thou 
**  delighteil  not  in  burnt-offering.     The  facrifices  of  God 

Vol.  II.  E 


3  8  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

"  are  a  broken  fpirit :   a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O 
''  God,  thou  wilt  not  defplfe." 

In  oppofition  to  this,  however  clear  a  dltSlate,  both  of 
reafon  and  fcrlptiire,  it  leems  to  have  been  the  dlfeafe  of 
ancient  times,  to  imac^lne,  that  the  facriflces  were  fome 
how  neceiTary  or  ufefiil  to  theiv  Maker  in  themfelves  ;  and 
that  he  was  pleafed  with  the  pofleiiion  of  the  o[ift,  indepen- 
dent of  the  difpofition  of  the  giver.  This  led  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles  to  fuppofe,  that  the  more  numerous  and 
col}^y  the  viftims,  tiie  greater  would  be  their  influence  : 
Micah  vi»  6.  "  Wherewith  fliall  I  come  before  the  Lord, 
"  and  bow  myfelf  before  the  high  God  ?  Shall  I  come 
*'  before  him  with  burnt-offerings,  with  calves  of  a  year 
*'  old  ?  Will  the  Lord  be  pleafed  with  thoufands  of  rams^ 
"  or  with  ten  thoufands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?  Shall  I  give  my 
"  firfl  born  for  my  tranfgrefiion,  the  fruit  of  my  body  for 
"  the  fm  of  my  foul :"  To  fuch  an  exceiTive  height  did 
this  error  ])roceed,  that  on  extraordinary  occafions  the 
Heathens  of  many  different  nations  offered  human  facri- 
iices,  and  endeavored,  by  their  number,  their  youth,  or 
the  high  rank  of  their  parents,  to  increafe  their  value  in 
the  fight  of  God*  In  oppofition  to  this  grofs  delufion, 
God  often  afferts  his  all-fufficiency,  as  well  as  fovereignty  ; 
as  particularly  in  that  admirable  paffage,  Pf.  1.  7. — —14* 
"  Hear,  O  my  people,  and  I  will  fpeak  ;  O  Ifrael,  and  I 
*'  will  teftify  againil  thee  :  I  am  God,  even  thy  God.  I 
*'  will  not  reprove  thee  for  thy  facrifices,  or  tl:y  burnt-of- 
*'  ferings,  to  have  been  continually  before  irie.  I  will 
"  take  no  bullock  out  of  thy  houfe,  nor  hc-por.ts  out  of 
*'  thy  fokls.  For  every  bead  of  the  foreft  is  niine,  and  the 
*<•  cattle  upon  a  thoufand  hills-  I  know  all  the  fov.ls  of 
"  the  mountains ;  and  the  wild  beafrs  of  the  field  are 
"  mine.  If  I  were  hungry,  I  would  not  tell  thee,  for  the 
"  M'orld  is  mine,  and  the  fullnefs  thereof.  V/ill  I  eat 
'*'  the  fieih  of  bulls,  or  drink  the  blood  of  goats  ?  Offer 
"•  unto  God  thankfgiving,  and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the 
"  Mod  High."  And  even  with  regard  to  their  ordinary 
attendance  on  inrtruclion,  he  fays,  Ezekiel  xxxiii.  31. 
"  And  they  come  unto  thee  as  the  people  cometh,  and 
"  they  fit  before  thee  as  my  people,  and  they  hear  thy 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared.  39 

"  words,  but  they  will  not  do  tliem  :  for  with  their  mouth 
*'  tliey  flicw  much  love,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their 
*'  co\  ctoufnefs.'" 

Tiiis  conduft,  fo  difhonorable  to  God,  and  fo  incon- 
fiRcnt  with  the  holinefs  and  purity  of  his  nature,  had  no 
fullicient  excufe  either  among  Jews  or  Heathens.  But 
furely  it  is  lliU  more  criminal  among  Chriflians.  The 
gofpel,  as  a  difpenfation  of  clearer  light,  and  greater  pu- 
rity, is  called  the  niinistraticn  of  tha  Spirit.  And  in  op- 
pofition  to  all  ceremonial  and  local  worfliip,  our  Saviour 
fays,  John  iv.  23,  24.  "  Rut  tlie  hour  cometh,  and  now 
*'  is,  when  the  tnie  worOiippers  fliall  worfhip  the  Father 
'•  in  fpirit  and  in  truth ;  for  the  Father  feeketh  fucli  to 
"  worfliip  him.  God  is  a  fpirit;  and  they  that  worfliip 
''  hini,  mufl;  worfliip  him  in  fpirit  and  in  truth."  But 
are  there  not  fomc  amongft  us  who  may  be  juftly  charged 
with  guilt  in  this  refpeft  ?  or  rather,  who  is  there  amongft 
us  that  does  not  in  fom&  degree  fall  under  the  reproof? 
Are  there  not  fome  who  reft  in  the  form  of  worfhip,  and 
^re  flrangers  to  the  fpirit  of  it  ?  Are  there  not  fome  who 
value  and  trull  in  their  fornis  while  they  are  regardlefs  of 
the  fpirit  ?  Nay,  are  there  not  fome  who  not  only  fubmit 
to,  but  are  pleafed  with  the  form,  and  yet  \i\vt  no  relifh 
for  that  nearnefs  to  God,  and  fenfe  of  his  prefence,  which 
conlUtutes  the  fpirit  of  worfhip  ?  How  many  fmful  motives 
may  bring  us  to  thehoufe  of  God  !  If  you  come  to  avoid  the 
reproach  of  men,  is  that  a  real  facrifice  to  God?  if  you 
come  from  oftentation,  to  be  feen  of  men,  is  that  an  of- 
fering acceptable  to  God  ?  If  you  come  to  gratify  your 
fancy,  by  hearing  the  performance  of  man,  you  are  offer- 
ing the  incenfe  to  the  creature  that  is  due  only  to  God. 
Confider  further,  how  often  we  may  be  finfuUy  employed 
in  the  houfe  of  God.  Are  carclefs  inattentive  perfons  of- 
fering acceptable  facrifices  to  God  ?  Are  thofe  who  indulge 
vain,  proud,  fenfual,  covetous  thoughts  in  worfliip,  of- 
fering facrifice  to  God  ?  Are  thofe  who  come  to  cenfure 
or  admire  the  fpeakcr,  offering  iacrifice  to  God  ?  In  all 
fuch  cafes,  without  any  difparagement  to  the  holieft  infli- 
tutions  of  God,  or  rather  from  a  juft  concern  to  defend 
them  from  profanation,  we  may  fay,  in  the  words  of  tliu 


40  Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

text,  "  Behold,  to  obey,  is  better  than  facrifice  ;  and  to 
*'  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams." 

4.  In  the  last  place,  obedience  is  oppofed  to  facrifice s 
as  they  are  mifplaced  and  unfeafonable.     In  the  ancient 
difpenfation,  time  and  place  were  as  much  afcertained  as 
any  circumftance  that  belonged  to  the  templc-fervice  ;  and 
nothing  could  be  more  contrary  to  the  fpirit  of  that   ccco- 
nomy,  than  taking  any  liberty  with  the  order  which  God 
himfelf  had  eftabliflied.     There  are    feveral  inftances  of 
heavy  judgments  denounced  againft  princes,  whofe  chief 
fault  feems  to  have  been,  ofFering  the  appointed  facrifices 
in  forbidden  places,  or  at  improper  feafons.     If,  there- 
fore, he  would  not   fufFer  any  variation  in  circumftances 
which  lie  had  prefcribed,  how  could  Saul  fuppofe,  that  he 
would  accept  of  a  facrifice  in  the  place  of  a  duty  which  he 
had  commanded  ?    It  is  alfo  to  be  obferved,  that  the  duties 
of  the  moral  law  are  perpetually  binding ;  and  therefore, 
when  in  Providence  any  example  of  them  occurs,  lirength- 
ened  with  the  urgent  call  of  necefilty  and  mercy,  they  be- 
come exceptions  to  an  ordinance  of  a   pofitive  nature. 
Thus  our  Saviour  does  not  contradict  the  law  of  Mofes  in 
what  he  teaches  concerning  the   Sabbath  ;    but  fliovv's  in 
what  manner  that  command  was,  or  ought  always  to  have 
been  underllood  by  the  Jews  themfelvcs.     See  an  infiance 
of  this,    Luke  xiii.    14,   15,16.   *•' And  the  ruler  of  the 
"  fynagogue  anfwered  with  indignation,  becaufe  that  Jefus 
*'  had  healed  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  faid  unto  the  people, 
*'  There  are  fix  days   in  which   men  ought  to  work  ;   in 
*'  them  therefore  come,  and    be  healed,  and  not  on  the 
*'  Sabbath-day.     The  Lord  then  anfwered  him,  and  faid, 
*'  Thou  hypocrite,  doth  not  each  one  of  you  on  the  Sab- 
*'  bath  loofe  his  ox,  or  his  afs,  from  the  ftall,  and  lead  him 
"  away  to  watering?     And  ought  not  this  woman,  being 
*'  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  hath  bound,  lo 
*'  thefe  eighteen  years,  be  loofed  from  this  bond  on  the 
*'  Sabbath-day  ;"     See  alfo  two  other  examples  of  the  fame 
thing,  in  the  .12th  chapter  ofthegofpel  according  to  Mat- 
thew }  in  fiipport  of  which  our  Lord  cites  a  paffage  from 
theOW  Tefiament,  yer.  7.  "  But  if  ve  had  known  wh?<,t 


Obedience  and  Sacrifice  compared.  41 

"  this  mcaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  facrifice,  ye 
"  would  not  have  condemned  the  guiltleis." 

The  fame  general  rule  is  to  be  obferved  at  all  times. 
We  mull  attend  to  the  intimations  of  Providence,  and  as 
far  as  they  can  be  clearly  difcerned,  difcharge  thofe  duties 
to  which  we  are  immediately  called.  Every  thing  is 
beautiful  in  its  place  and  Icafon,  and  is  then  not  only  moft 
acceptable  to  God,  but  moll  ufeful  to  men.  It  is  fo  far 
from  being  any  difparagement  of  facrifices,  that  it  is  their 
very  excellence,  to  be  confined  to  their  time  and  place. 
And  the  maxim  in  the  text  will  apply  with  equal  propri- 
ety to  every  duty  of  the  moral  law.  The  moll  excellent 
of  them  may  be  mifapplicd.  True  religion  and  unclefiled 
before  God  and  the  Father,  is,  to  vifit  the  fatherlefs  and 
the  widow;  and  yet,  if  the  time  of  divine  worfliipbe  un. 
necelfarily  chofen  for  that  purpofe,  or  if  too  much  time  be 
confumed  in  it  by  thofe  whofe  prefence  cannot  be  ufeful, 
it  is  a  rejedled  facrifice.  Feeding  the  hungry,  and  cloth- 
ing the  naked,  is  the  chara(fl:er  that  fhall  meet  with  the  ap- 
probation of  our  final  judge  ;  and  yet,  if  any  fhall,  out 
of  ollentation,  feed  the  poor  abroad,  and  flarve  their  fa- 
milies at  home,  or  perform  this  duty  at  the  ex  pence  of  any 
other  more  immediately  binding,  he  falls  under  the  con- 
demnation of  the  prophet  in  the  text :  "  Behold,  to  obey, 
"  is  better  than  facrifice  ;  and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of 
*' rams."  To  conclude  this  head,  we  lliall  greatly  mif- 
interpretthis  pafiage  offcripture,  if  we  pretend  to  honor 
one  part  of  religion  to  the  prejudice  of  another.  The  fa- 
crifices condemned  by  the  prophet  are  not  to  be  under- 
ilood  of  pofitive  duties,  as  oppofed  to  moral,  nor  of  a6ts 
ofworfhip,  as  oppofed  to  the  duties  of  the  fecond  table  ; 
but  of  every  aft  of  religion,  however  excellent  in  itfelf, 
or  neceflary  in  its  place,  if  it  is  done  from  an  ill  principle, 
with  a  finful  purpofe,  in  a  finful  manner,  or  fubflituted 
in  the  room  of  that  which  God  in  his  Providence  doth  im^ 
mediately  require. 

III.  I  PROCEED  now  to  make  fome  pradlical  improve- 
ment of  what  hatli  Been  faid.     And^ 

'A 


42  ObecUenee  and  Sacrifice  compared. 

1.  From  what  hath  been  liiid,  you  may  learn  what  are- 
the  great  characters  of  iicceptable  obedience  ;  and,  1  think, 
they  may  be  reduced  to  the  three  following,  i.  It  mufh 
be  implicit  obedience.  It  mufi  be  founded  immediately 
and  diredlly  on  the  authority  of  God.  We  muft  not  take 
upon  us  to  judge  of  the  moment  and  importance  of  any 
pait  of  his  will,  further  than  he  hath  made  it  known  him- 
felf.  It  is  a  very  dangerous  thing  for  us  to  make  compa- 
rifons  between  one  duty  and  another,  efpecially  with  a 
view  of  difpenfnig  vv/ith  any  of  them,  or  altering  their  or- 
der, and  fubflituting  one  in  another's  place.  2.  A  fecond 
chara6ler  of  true  obedience  is,  that  it  be  felf-denied  and 
impartial,  that  it  be  not  dire6ted  or  qualified  by  our  pre- 
fent  intereft.  It  was  the  beft  of  the  fpoil  that  Saul  andthQ 
people  faved  ;  that  which  was  vile  and  refufe,  they  utter- 
ly deftroyed.  It  is  too  common,  that  our  own  intereft 
both  points  out  the  objedt,  and  afligns  the  meafure  of  our 
obedience  ;  and  in  that  cafe,  it  does  not  deferv?  the  name 
of  obedience  to  God  at  all.  But  when  the  Chriftian  is  de^ 
voted  to  God,  ready  at  his  call,  and  equally  difpofed  to 
any  employment  afligned  him  in  Providence,  he  then 
may  be  faid  indeed  to  do  his  will.  3.  A  third  chara6:er 
of  obedience  is,  that  it  be  univerfal,  without  any  excepti- 
on. Saul,  and  the  children  of  jfrael,  had  complied  fo 
far  with  the  order  given  them,  that  the  greateft  part  both 
of  the  people  and  fubftance  of  Amalek  was  deftroyed  ;  but 
he  ftopped  Ihort,  and  knowingly  left  unfiniflied  what  had 
been  injoined  him  by  the  fame  authority. 

2.  From  what  hath  been  faid  on  this  fubjeft,  you  may 
fee,  that  the  true  notion  of  obedience  is  inconfiftent  with 
the  notion  of  merit,  as  if  we  could  lay  our  Maker  under 
fome  fort  of  obligation.  This  is  as  fatal  and  dangerous  an 
error  as  any  whatever,  to  think  we  may  merit  at  tlie  hand 
of  God,  and  yet  very  common.  Nay,  it  feems  to  be  na- 
tural to  us  all,  with  great  difficulty  reftrained,  and  never 
in  this  life  wholly  overcome.  You  fee  how  Saul  juftified 
himfelf,  and  faid,  "  Yea,  but  I  have  obeyed  the  voice  of 
"  the  Lord."  But,  in  the  judgment  of  God,  there  was 
no  confideration  had  of  what  he  had  done,  but  a  fevere^ 


bbcdierUS  and  Sacrifice  compared.  43 

fenteiicc  of  condemnation  upon  Iiim  for  what  he  had  ne- 
gledted.  True  obedience  is  always  confidered,  in  this 
liglii,  r.sa  debt  due  to  God,  for  the  performance  of  which 
nothir.T  can  be  claimed,  but  for  the  negledt  of  which  a 
penalrv  is  incurred.  I  wifli  this  were  properly  attended 
to.  Tl^.e  guilt  of  tranfgreflion  is  plainly  inconlilient  with 
the  merit  of  obedience.  If  we  are  liable  lo  punifliment 
for  not  obeyinp;,  the  right  of  our  Maker  to  our  fervice 
mull  be  complete,  there  is  no  room  to  plead  any  merit  in 
compliance,  and  the  reward  mufl:  be  of  r^r.ice,  and  not  of 
debt.  Thus,  I  think,  it  is  always  felt  by  good  men  ; 
and  the  more  that  they  are  devoted  to  God,  they  are  the 
lefs  dil'i^ofed  to  r.vail  themfelves  of  any  thing  they  have 
done,  and  the  more  inclined  to  afk  forgivenefs  for  what 
hath  been  either  omitted,  or  ill  done. 

3.  From  what  hath  been  faid,  you  may  learn  the  great 
defects  of  our  obedience  in  general.  If  we  confider  the 
chara6lers  of  true  obedience,  implicit,  impartial,  and  uni- 
verfal,  we  mull  be  fenflble  what  great  blemifnes  attend 
every  adlofdutyto  God  which  we  perform.  We,  fliall  al- 
ways find  fomethingamifs,  either  in  its  extent,  its  princi- 
ple, or  its  end.  What  feafon  this  for  humiliation  ?  w  liat  ;•. 
powerfiil  argument  to  every  Chriftian  to  live  a  life  of  con^ 
tinual dependence  on  divine  llrengthto  enable  him  to  obey, 
and  divine  mercy  to  accept  of  his  imperfeft  obedience  ? 
Nothing  butgreat  ignorance  of  themfelves,  oi"  great  inaiten- 
tion  to  what  pail'es  in  their  cv/n  hearts,  can  embolden  nicn 
to  put  confidence  in  themfelv^es.  And  indeed  their  doing  fy 
is  commonly  attended  with  very  mo:tifyingefledrs.  AVhen 
God  leaves  them,  in  fadierly  difpleafure,  to  prove  and  trv 
them,  or  when  he  leaves  finners  to  themfelves,  to  fill  up  tlu 
meafure  of  their  iniquities,  it  foon  affords  a  fatisf)'ing  proofs 
that  in  us,  that  is,  in  our  flefh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing. 
To  will  may  be  prefent  with  us,  but  to  do  that  which  is 
good,  we  find  not. 

4.  In  the  last  place,  Suffer  me  eameftly  to  exhort  you 
to  make  it  your  daily  ftudy,  not  only  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  but  to  take  particular  notice  from 
what  principle  your  obedience  flows.  See  how  much 
there  is  in  it  of  feli'-denial  of  dcvotednefs  to  God,  of  fubjtc- 
tion  to  his  providence.     One  a(5l  of  filent  fubmiffion,  or 


44 


Obedience  and  Sacnjice  compared. 


a  quiet  application  to  thofe  duties  that  are  immediately 
neceffary,  though  neither  eafy  nor  honorable,  is  of  much 
more  value,  than  a  long  trad  of  aftivity  and  zeal  in  a  pub- 
lic and  vifible  fphere  of  adion,  fweetened  by  reputation 
and  applaufe.  As  the  fubmlffive  Chriilian  lives  upon  the 
Creator  alone,  independent  of  the  creature  :  fo  the  obedi- 
ent Chriilian  ferves  his  God  and  Redeemer  alone,  without 
paying  any  regard  to  the  elleem  or  approbation  of  his 
fellow-fmners.  In  this  way  only  is  your  obedience  given 
to  God,  and  in  this  way  only  will  you  find  it  pleafant  or 
profitable  to  yourfelves.  If  you  keep  clearly  and  clofely 
to  the  command  of  God,  and  have  not  fo  much  as  any 
other  defire,  or  inclination,  than  to  know  \yhat  ft  is,  you 
will  hardly  ever  be  miflaken.  But  if  you  allow  other 
motives  to  have  place,  if  you  take  upon  you  to  judge  of 
what  is  moft  proper  or  expedient,  or  even  prafticable,  you 
will  pollute  every  part  of  your  duty,  and  find  yourfelves 
often  involved  in  impenetrable  darknefs.  If  what  is  duty 
be  the  inquiry,  and  interefi:  fet  a  fide,  if  duty  be  the  ob- 
jeft  of  your  attention,  and  events  left  to  God,  you  will 
find  unfpeakable  confolation  from  it  in  the  mean  time,  as 
well  as  the  fuccefs  more  effe6tually  fecured  than  it  could 
poffibly  have  been  by  any  anxiety  or  forefight  of  your  own. 
Let  God  then  have  the  unadulterated  obedience  of  all  his 
creatures  ;  and  let  us  ailv  of  him,  according  to  his  promife, 
"  to  work  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  plealure." 


[     45     ] 


t  cdco  1000  MOtt  oeoo  «eoo  ritco  cooo  eooo  eooo  oooo  cooo  sooo  ooos  oooe  oo30  ocoo  oooc  oooo  cooo  utoe  aooo  o<?«a  lt>oe  ec4o 
I  C900  0009  oeoo  oooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  cooo  oooo  ccoo  oooo  oooo  C030  oooo  oooo  oooo  cooo  oooo  00O3  oooo  0CO3  coca  eoou 


The  security  of  those  who  TRUST  in  GOD. 

A 

SERMON. 


P  R  o  V.  xviil.  lo. 

T/je  NAME  of  t/jc  L.ORD  is  a  strong  tower ;  the  righteous 
runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe, 

THIS  book  of  Proverbs  confiils  almofi:  entirely  ofob- 
fervations  upon  human  life.  The  chara^lers  and 
purfuits  of  men  are  defcribed  in  it  with  a  ftrength  and  pro- 
priety, which  was  never  exceeded  by  thofe  who  devoted 
their  whole  attentiou  to  the  fludy  of  what  is  called  the 
knowledge  of  the  world  and  of  mankind.  But  in  one  par- 
ticular it  differs  from,  and  excels  all  human  learning,  that 
it  never  feparates  the  knowledge  of  the  world  from  the 
knowledge  of  him  who  made  and  who  governs  it.  There 
we  are  taught  to  improve  the  leffons  we  receive  in  the 
courfe  of  providence,  for  leading  us  to  obedience  and  fub- 
miffion  to  him,  "  who  doth  according  to  his  will  in  the 
"  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth; 
"  and  none  can  flay  his  hand,  or  fay  unto  him,  what  doft 
"  thou?"  There,  while  a  view  is  given  ur.  of  the  innumer- 
able paths  which  men  have  ilruck  out  for  themfelves  in  tra- 
velling through  life,  our  eyes  are  continually  direcfled  to  the 
paths  of  rlglUeoufnefs,  the  fure  and  only  way  to  reft  and 
peace. 

Experience  alone,  and  unafTifted,  v/ill  make  us  wifer  in 
one  fcnfe,  will  lliow  us  many  of  the  unavoidable  calami- 
ties of  life  ;  but  the  greateft  exertion  of  human  reafon 
could   never  yet  lead  to  an  effcdlual  cure.     I  believe  it 

Vol.  II.  F 


sfi  The  Security  of  those 

will  be  found,  that  perfons  of  the  greateft  vigor  and  refolu^ 
tion  of  mind,  when  they  trufted  to  their  own  internal 
ftrength,  and  fought  a  relburce  in  themfelves  for  the  evils 
with  which  they  were  aifaulted,  have  often  run  headlong 
into  the  moil  furious  and  defperate  courfes,  as  fome  of  the 
ftrongefl  animals,  when  taken  in  a  fnare,  do,  by  their  vi- 
olent itruggles,  entangle  themfelves  the  more,  drawing  the 
cords  which  bind  them  ftill  more  ftrait,  and  increafe  their 
confinement  by  their  endeavors  to  efcape. 

The  wife  man,  in  our  text,  points  out  what  is  the  re- 
fuge and  fecurity  of  every  child  of  God.  T*he  name  of 
the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower  ;  the  righteous  runneth  into  it,, 
and  is  srfe.  And  he  certainly  intends  to  fet  this  in  op- 
pofition  to  every  thing  elfe  in  v/hich  worldly  men  might 
place  their  dependence;  for  he-  adds,  as  an  example,  in 
the  verfe  following  the  text,  "  The  rich  man's  wealth  is 
"  his  ftrong  city,  and  as  an  high  wall  in  his  own  conceit." 
The  truth  conveyed  to  us  in  this  paffage  has  an  intimate 
conncdlion  with  pra6lical  and  experimental  religion  ;  and 
on  a  fir-m  belief  and  habitual  application  of  it,  in  a  great 
meafure,  depends  the  comfort  and  peace  of  the  fervants 
of  God.  In  difcourfuig  on  it,  I  fhall  endeavor,  in  divine 
ftrenp-^h, 

I.  To  explain  what  is  to  be  underftood  by  the  name 
of  the  Lord. 

II.  V.Hiat  is  implied  in  the  righteous  ru?minginto  it  as 
a  strong  tower. 

III .  Point  out  the  fecurity  they  attain  by  doing  fo. 
And,  in  the  laft  place,  I  lliall  make  fomc  application  of 

the  fubjed. 

I.  Then,  I  am  to  explain  what  is  to  be  underftood  by 
the  NAME  of  the  Lord.  And  here,  I  hope,  Ineedfcarce 
obferve,  that  it  was  by  no  means  the  intention  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  by  this  expreffion,  to  teach  us  to  conceive  any 
particular  virtue  or  charm  in  the  name  literally  fo  called  ; 
that  is,  the  found  or  pronunciation  of  the  word.  To  ima- 
gine any  thing  of  this  kind,  would  be  to  go  into  the  fool- 
eiy  and  idle  dreams  of  fuperlfition,  to  which  there  is  not 
the  leaft  countenance  given  in  the  holy  Scriptures.     Hu- 


xvbo  trust  in  Cod.  47 

man  nature  feems,  however,  to  have  been  very  prone  to 
this  in  every  age.  The  ufe  of  amulets  and  charms  feems  * 
to  have  prevailed  in  the  greateft  part  of  the  heathen  n?.- 
tions,  as  alfo  magical  incantations,  though  it  did  not  exert 
itfelf  precifely  in  the  fame  way,  the  principle  feems  to 
have  been  the  fame,  which  led  the  Jews  from  a  pretended 
veneration  for  the  name  Jehovah,  never  to  pronounce  it  at 
all ;  a  cuftom  which  they  retain  to  this  day,  alledging,  ei- 
ther that  they  cannot  pronounce  it,  or  that  it  is  unlawful 
to  utter  it.  We  may  alfo  obferve,  that,  in  our  neighbor 
church,  they  feem  to  have  fallen  into  the  fame  error  in  the 
cuftom  of  bowing  at  the  name  of  Jefus,  while  tlicy  do  not 
bow  to  the  names  of  Chrifl,  Lord,  or  God, 

Having  mentioned  thefe  things  for  the  illuflration  of 
the  fubje<St  before  us,  I  cannot  help  obferving,  that  if  a  fu- 
perftitious  veneration  for  the  letters  or  the  found  of  a  name, 
is  blame-worthy,  a  rafli  profanation  of  the  name  of  God 
is  unfpcakably  more  criminal.  My  heart  bleeds  to  think 
of  the  commonnefs  of  this  fin  among  all  ranks  and  all 
ages.  What  have  thofe  parents  to  anfwer  for,  who  have 
taught,  or  who  have  not  reflrained  their  children  from 
taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain?  This  is  a  fin  little 
thought  of  among  men,  but  highly  criminal  in  the  fight  of 
God,  and  he  hath  taken  to  himfelf  the  work  of  avenging 
it :  "  For  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs  who  taketh 
"  his  name  in  vain." 

By  the  name  of  the  Lord,  in  our  text,  we  are  to  under- 
ftand  the  Lord  God  himfelf;  his  nature  as  it  is  difcovered 
to  us  in  all  his  glorious  perfedliions,  particularly  his  power 
and  goodnefs,  to  faveand  deliver  them  that  put  their  truft 
in  him.  In  this  fenfe  the  name  of  Gocl,  or  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  is  ufed  in  many  paflages  of  Scripture,  as  Pfal. 
^x.  1,5,  7,  verfes,  "  The  Lord  hear  tliee  in  the  day  of 
"  trouble,  the  name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  defend  thee.  We 
"  will  rejoice  in  thy  falvation,  antl  in  the  name  of  our 
"  God  we  will  fet  up  our  banners. — Some  truft  in  chariots, 
*'  and  fomc  in  horfes ;  but  we  will  remember  the  name  of 
"  the  Lord  our  God."  As  alfo  in  all  thofe  places  where 
mention  is  made  of  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  or 
praifiing  the  name  of  theX^rd.  Agi-eeably  to  this,  v.e  find^  in 


48  The  Security  of  those 

our  Saviour's  direftory  for  prayer,  the  following  petition, 
Hallowed  be  thy  name;  that  is, let  God  himfelf,  and  hisglori- 
ous  pcrfe£lion£  be  acknowledged,  and  a  fuitable  regard  paid 
to  them,  by  all  without  exception.  The  fame  way  of  fpeak- 
ing  is  obferved  with  refpedl  to  Chrift,  A6ts  iv.  12.  "  For 
*'  there  is  none  other  name,  under  heaven,  given  among 
"  men,  whereby  we  muft  be  faved."  That  is  to  fay,  there 
is  no  other  Saviour,  befides  Chrifl,  to  whom  we  can  flee 
for  deliverance  from  guilt  and  mifery.  At  the  fame  time, 
it  is  eafy  to  fee  the  propriety  of  this  exprellion,  the  name 
of  the  Lord ;  it  is  ufed  for  God  himfelf,  becaufe,  amongft 
mankind,  we  are  diflinguiflied  from  one  another  by  our 
names,  fo  God  is  known  or  diftinguifhed  by  the  difcove- 
ries  he  hath  made  of  himfelf,  and  the  daily  exercife  of  his 
perfeftions,  in  behalf  of  his  people. 

There  are  three  principal  ways  by  which  God  hath  dif- 
covered  himfelf  to  mankind  ;  namely,  the  vifible  creation, 
his  written  word,  and  the  daily  adminiftration  of  his  provi- 
dence. Let  us  confider  them  fhortly,  as  they  may  be 
juftly  faid  to  be  his  name  ;  for  they  ferve  to  explain  his 
nature. 

I.  Let  us  confider  the  vifible  creation  as  the  name  of 
God.  He  hath  engraven  his  name  on  all  the  works  of  his 
hands  ;  he  hath  engraven  it  in  an  univerfal  language,  in 
which  every  intelligent  creature  may  read  it,  and  the  mofl 
weak  and  ignorant  may  eafily  comprehend  it.  Pfal.xix.i. 
"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament 
"  fhev/eth  his  handy  works.'  Rom.  i.  20.  "■  For  the  invifi- 
"  ble  things  of  him,  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  are 
*'  clearly  feen  ;  being  underllood  by  the  things  that  are 
"  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead." 

Are  m.eii  ignorant  of  God  ?  It  is  becaufe  they  do  not 
like  to  retain  him  in  their  knowledge  ;  for  the  v/hole  crea- 
tion is  full  of  him,  '  He  is  not  far  from  "every  one  of  us.* 
We  can  no  where  turn  our  eyes,  to  the  heavens  above,  or 
to  the  earth  below,  but  we  may  fee  the  mofl  manifeft  proofs 
of  his  almighty  power,  his  unfearchable  wifdom,  his  un- 
bounded goodnefs,  and  his  univerfal  prefence.  How  feel- 
ing a  feiifeof  this  does  the  Pfalmiitexprefs,  Pfal.  cxxxix. 
I- — 7.  ''  O  Lord,  thou  haft  fearched  me,  and  known  me. 


who  trust  in  God.  4^ 

"  Thou  knowell  my  down- fitting  and  mine  up-rifin:^-,  diou 
"  underflandell  my  thought  afar  off'.  Thou  compaffcfi:  my 
"  path,  and  my  lying  down,  and  art  acquainted  wiUi  all 
**  my  ways.  For  tb.ere  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but 
"  lo,  O  Lord,  thou  knowefl  it  all  together.  Thou  haft:  be- 
*'  fet  mc  behind  and  before,  and  laid  t'nine  hand  upon  mc. 
"  Such  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  ibr  me  ;  it  is  liigh,  I 
"  cannot  attain  unto  it.  V/hither  fliall  I  go  from  thy  fpi- 
"  rit  ?  or  whither  Ihall  I  flee  from  thy  pref:rnce  ?'  It  will 
fall  more  properly  under  the  following  liead  to  Ihew,  how 
the  righteous  run  into  the  name  of  God  as  a  strong  to~j:er. 
We  now  conlider  only  his  woks  as  Ihewing  forth  his 
glory.  See,  to  this  purpofc,  the  fortieth  chapter  of  Tfaiah, 
from  the  12th  verfe  and  downwards.  "  Wiio  hath  m.ea- 
"  fured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  meted 
"  out  heaven  with  af|vn,  and  comprehended  the  dull  of 
"  the  earth  in  a  meafure,  and  weighed  the  mountains 
"  in  fcales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance  ?  Who  hath  diredl- 
"  ed  the  fpirit  of  the  Lord ;  or  being  his  counfellor,  hath 
"  taught  him  ?  With  whom  took  he  counfel,  and  who 
"  inft:ruCted  him,  and  taught  him  in  the  path  of  judgment, 
"  and  taught  him  knowledge,  and  Ihewed  him  the  way  of 
*'  underftanding  :" 

2.  God  hath  revealed  himfelf  in  his  written  word; 
there  he  hath  clearly  and  explicitly  v/ritten  his  name,  and 
revealed  his  nature ;  there  all  his  various  perfections,  ex- 
cellent in  themfelves  and  fiiitable  to  us,  are  enumerated 
and  explained  :  in  thefe  lively  oracles,  there  is  a  remedy 
not  for  the  uncertaint}-  of  nature's  light,  but  for  the  dark- 
nefs  of  our  bewildered  underftaiidings.  Here  we  mull 
not  forget  that  he  hath  in  his  word  clearly  revealed  himfelf, 
as  infinitely  gracious  to  finners  through  Jefus  Chrift.  This 
may  well  be  called  his  nam.e,  becaufe  it  is  the  only  way 
by  which  -we  are  brought  to  an  interell  in  his  favor.  John 
xiv.  6.  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life.  No 
"  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  This  unlocks 
the  gates  of  the  llrong  tower,  and  opens  a  fancluary  to  the 
finner,  who  is  fleeing  from  the  f\\  ord  cf  avenging  wrath. 
""  No  man  hath  fecn  God  at  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten 
*'  Son,  which  is  in  tlie  bofom  cf  the  Father,  he  hath  dc- 


.5»  The  Security  of  those 

"  dared  him.''  His  name  and  memorial  to  all  genera- 
tions, is  faid  to  "  be  gracious  and  merciful,  flow  to  an- 
*'  ger,  and  of  great  kindnefs,  andrepenteth  him  of  the  evil." 
And  it  is  in  Chrift  Jefus,  and  his  crofs,  that  his  mercy  is 
difplayed  ;  it  is  for  Chrift's  fake  that  his  mercy  is  bellow- 
ed \  it  is  by  Chrift  Jefus  that  every  mercy  is  difpenfed : 
therefore  we  may  apply  to  this  fubjeft,  the  prophecy  of 
Chrift  in  Pfal.  xxii.  22.  "I  will  declare  thy  name  unto 
"■  my  brethren ;  in  the  midft  of  the  congregation  will  I 
"  praife  thee." 

3.  In  the  laft  place,  God  reveals  his  name  in  the  dai- 
ly adminiftratlon  of  his  providence.  In  this,  I  include 
not  only  what  regards  the  fuppoit  and  prefervation  of  na^ 
tural  life,  but  all  the  methods  of  his  grace,  The  one  and 
the  other  of  thefe  give  us  a  continual  and  fenfible  difplay 
of  the  nature  and  glory  of  God.  What  the  works  of  na- 
ture teach  us  to  infer  by  reafon  \vhat  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures  teach  us  by  information  concerning  God,  the  admini^ 
ftration  of  Providence,  gives  us  an  opportunity  of  feeing 
and  feeling  in  our  own  experience.  The  appearances  of 
God  in  Providence,  and  his  gracious  interpofiiion  in  be- 
half of  his  own  people,  are  expreffed  by  his  Dame's  being 
near,  or  his  name's  being  made  great,  Plal.  Ixxv.  i. 
"  Unto  thee,  O  God,  do  v/e  give  thanks ;  unto  thee  do 
"  we  give  thanks ;  for  that  thy  name  is  near,  thy  won- 
"  drous  works  declare.  Pfal.  Ixxvi.  i.  In  Judah  is  God 
"  known,  his  nam^c  is  great  in  Ifrael." 

An  experimental  knowledge  of  the  power  and  mercy 
of  God,  is,  of  ail  others,  the  moft  complete  and  efiedtual. 
To  this  we  may  well  apply  the  words  of  Job,  xlii.  5,  6.  • 
"  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now 
*'  mine  eye  feeth  thee.  Wherefore  I  abhor  myfelf,  and  re- 
"  pent  in  dull  and  allies."  It  is  alfo  probable,  that  the 
Pfalmift  David  often  affixes  this  particular  meaning  to  the 
knov/ledge  of  God's  name,  as  in  Pfal.  ix.  10.  "  And 
"  they  that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  trufl  in  thee  ;  for 
"  thou.  Lord,  haft  not  forfaken  them  that  feek  thee."  For 
the  fame  reafon  he  recommends  a  careful  obfervation  of 
Providence,  as  an  excellent  mean  of  being  partakers  of 
divine  mercy.  Pfal.  cvii.  42,  43.  "  The  righteous  fhall 
"  fee  it  and  rejoice,  and  all  iniquity  Ihall  ftop  her  mouth. 


V)ho  trust  In  God,  51 

"  Whofo  is  wife,  and  will  obferve  thefe  tilings,  cveni 
**  they  fhall  underfcand  the  loving-kindnefs  of  the  Lord," 
1  fnall  conclude  this  head,  by  an  earnell  exhortation  to 
every  one  in  this  alTembly,  to  endeavor  to  underftand 
more  and  more  of  the  name  of  God,  as  it  appears  in  his 
Works,  in  his  word,  and  in  iiis  providence.  Has  he  writ- 
ten it  info  great  a  variety  of  chara6lers,  and  will  you  n<tt 
take  the  pains  to  obferve  it  ?  O  the  fottifli  folly  of  worldly 
men  !  their  curiofity  is  infatiable  to  hear  things  of  no  mo- 
ment, while  they  cannot  be  perfuaded  to  hear  what  regards 
their  own  eternalllate.  They  will  run  in  crouds  to  fee 
every  idle  or  pernicious  fight,  if  it  be  called  rare,  while 
they  will  not  open  their  eyes  on  the  magnificence  and  glo- 
ry of  their  Creator's  works. 

But  let  me  in  a  particular  manner,  beg  of  you,  the  care- 
ful obfervation  of  Divine  Providence,  towards  yourfelvcs 
in  particular.  You  will  find  the  v.nfpeakablc  advantage 
of  it.  It  will  make  God  more  prefent  v.  ith  you  diart  ever. 
It  will  fet  home  the  obligation  of  every  duty,  and  the  enor- 
mity of  every  fin  upon  the  confcience,  in  a  manner  far 
more  forcible  than  ever.  It  will  alfogive  every  mercy  a 
richnefs  and  value,  which  it  could  not  derive  from  any 
other  fource  ;  jufl  as  the  man  who  has  been  fed  at  i  difr 
tance,  by  the  ftreams  of  a  prince's  bounty,  would  feel  his 
heart  drawn  with  far  flronger  bonds  of  love  and  gratitude, 
were  he  to  be  brought  into  his  prefence,  and  receive  his 
favors  immediately  fi'om  his  own  hand. 

I  am  aware  of  an  objection  againft  this.  Perhaps  fomc 
perfons  will  fay,  how  can  I  make  a  particular  application 
of  Providence  ?  how  can  I  certainly  know  the  voice  or 
meaning  of  ever}''  event  that  befals  myfelf  or  my  family  ? 
is  there  not  a  great  danger  of  running  into  vifionaiy  folly 
and  enthufiafm  ?  In  the  remaining  part  of  this  fubjtcft,  I 
fhall  have  occafion  to  fay  more  as  to  the  meaning  of  Pro- 
vidence. In  the  mean  time,  let  me  only  defire  you  to 
begin  by  a  perfonal  application  of  the  unqueflionable 
truths  concerning  Providence,  and  this  will  lead  you  far- 
ther th^n  you  apprehend,  witliout  the  Icaft  danger  of  mif- 
take.  Is  it  not  certain,  that  "  a  fparrow  fallcth  not  to  the 
"  ground  without  your  heavenly  Father,  and  that  the  v«.''v 


52.  T^he  Security  of  those 

*'  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  iiuixibered  by  him."  Is  it  not 
of  the  Lord's  mere}-  then,  that  you  awakened  this  morn- 
ing, and  did  not  fleep  the  fleep  of  death  ?  If  you  had 
done  fo,  were  you  ready  for  it  ?  Do  you  know  how, 
when,  or  how  foon  it  may  be  fo  ?  Were  you  engaged 
in  any  fcene  of  intemperance,  lewdnefs,  debauchery  ? 
would  that  have  been  a  proper  fcene  for  death  ?  Have 
you  been  preft;rved  from  any  imminent  danger,  recovered 
from  any  threatening  diforder  ?  Is  not  that  a  mercy  ? 
Has  the  defire  of  your  eyes  been  taken  away  by  a  flroke  ? 
Have  you  heard  the  reproach  of  many  on  ever)'-  fide  ?  Is 
not  this  the  will  of  God  ?  Whether  does  it  call  for  pati- 
ence or  pride  ?  Have  you  fuitered  in  your  fubftance  ? 
"Whether  does  this  teach  you  to  love  the  world  or  to  defpife 
it  ?  Is  there  any  uncertainty  here  ?  Believe  it,  Chrifti- 
ans,  a  perfonal  application  of  the  truths  relating  to  Divine 
Providence,  would  reveal  as  it  were  a  new  world  to  you, 
and  would  make  the  paths  of  God  towards  you  every  day 
more  intelligible,  every  day  more  profitable,  and  fliall  I 
not  add,  every  day  more  comfortable. 

II.  We  proceed  nov.^  to  the  fecond  thing  propofed,  viz. 
what  is  im.plied  in  the  righteous  running  into  the  name  of 
the  Lord  as  a  strong  tovoer.  The  word  tower ^  efpecially 
when  joined  with  the  epithet  ^/ro;z§-,  immediately  conveys 
to  the  mind  the  idea  of  protection  and  defence.  It  evident- 
ly alludes  to  the  (late  of  many  ancient  nations  and  tribes, 
who  were  continually  expofed  to  hordle  inroads  and  inva- 
fions,  and  were  obliged  to  have  cables  andtov/ers  as  places 
of  refuge  and  fecurity  ;  and  this  is  far  from  being  an  im- 
proper image  of  the  Hate  of  a  child  of  God  in  this  prefent 
world,  whether  we  confider  the  common  calamities  to 
which  he  is  liable  as  a  man,  or  the  peculiar  trials  with  which 
he  may  be  afHifted  as  a  good  man.  To  have  a  clear  view 
of  the  import  of  the  metaphor,  we  need  only  confider  fome 
parallel  places,  where  we  find  the  fame  expreffion,  and 
others  of  the  fame  meaning,  Pfal.  xviii.  2,  3.  "  The  Lord 
*'  is  m)^  rock  and  my  fortrefs,  and  my  deliverer ;  my  God, 
'<•  my  ftrength,  in  whom  I  will  trufl ;  my  buckler,  and  the 
"  horn  of  my  falvation  ;  and  my  high  tower.     I  will  call 


V)ho  trust  In  God.  53 

"  upon  the  Lord,  who  is  worthy  to  be  praifed,  fo  fliall  I  be 
"favedfrom  mine  enemies.  Plal.  xxvii.  i,  2.  The  Lord 
"  is  my  light  and  my  falvition,  whom  fliall  I  fear  ?  the 
*'  Lord  is  the  flrcngth  of  my  life,  of  whom  fhall  I  be  afraid? 
"  When  the  wicked,  even  mine  enemies  and  my  foes, 
"  came  upon  me,  to  eat  up  my  flefh,  they  ilumblcd  and 
*'  fell."  Pfal.  Ixi.  2,3,4.  "  From  the  end  of  the  earth  will 
"  I  Cry  unto  thee,  when  my  heart  is  overwhelmed  :  lend 
*'  me  to  the  rock  that  is  higher  than  L  For  thou  hail  been 
*'  afhelter  for  me,  and  a  ftrong  tower  from  the  enemy.  I 
"  will  abide  in  thy  tabernacle  for  ever  ;  I  will  truft  in  the 
"  covert  of  thy  wings.  Selah."  When  we  hear  a  good  man 
ufmg  Inch  exprelfions  as  thefe,  we  may  gather,  with  the 
greatefl:  certainty  and  clearnefs,  what  is  the  general  import 
o^GoA^shzmg  a  strong  tower ^  namely,  that  he  is  a  moft 
powerful  protector  ;  that  his  almighty  Providence  is  tlie 
iureft:  and  flrongcft  defence  againfl  all  enemies  of  whatever 
kind,  let  their  art,  their  adivity,  their  malignity,  be 
what  they  will. 

Though  this  may  not  feem  to  need  any  further  expli- 
cation ;  yet,  for  the  affiilance  and  dire^lion  of  ferious  per- 
fons,  let  us  confider  a  Utile  what  is  implied  in  the  righteous 
running  into  this  tower  for  their  proteftion.  This  is  the 
rather  neceflary,  that  though  it  is  the  privilege,  the  duty, 
and  the  practice  of  the  fcrvants  of  (}od,  to  make  God  their 
defence  and  Hay,  yet  they  may  be  faulty  and  defective  in 
this  part  of  their  duty,  and  fufler  a  proportional  lofs  in 
point  of  comfort. 

I.  Then,  running  to  the  name  of  God  as  their  strong 
tower^  implies  the  lively  exerclfe  of  faith  both  in  the  pow- 
er and  willingnefs  of  God  to  protect  them.  It  is  only  by 
faitli  that  we  can  go  to  an  invifiblc  God.  As  faith  mull; 
be  the  principle  of  all  acceptable  fervice  to  God,  fo  faith  is 
evidently  the  immediate  mean  of  all  truft  in  or  enjoyment 
of  God.  Therefore  it  is  faid,  with  the  greateft  propriety, 
"  thejuft  fhall  live  by  faith." 

You  may  obferve,  I  have  faid  the  lively  exercife  of  faith; 
for,  beiides  the  habitual  pcrfuafion  of  the  great  truths  of  re- 
ligion, as  the  foundation  of  our  adherence  to  God  as  our 
portion,  there  mull  be  an  actual  contemplation  of  them  as 

Vol.  I!.  G 


54  ^^^  Security  of  tho^s 

the  mean  of  our  fupport  in  trial  or  deliverance  from  dan-* 
ger.  Whatever  be  the  nature  or  fource  of  temptation, 
we  mufl  meet  it,  as  it  were,  and  refill:  it,  by  taking  fuitable 
views  of  the  fulnefs  and  all-fufficiency  of  God.  Does  the 
believer  Hand  in  need  of  any  thing  fpiritual  or  temporal  ? 
is  he  diftreffed  with  the  want  of  it  ?  does  he  fee  no  human 
or  probable  way  of  his  being  fupplied  with  it  ?  He  runs  to 
the  name  of  God  as  his  strong  tower ^  by  confidering,  that 
*'  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulnefs  thereof:"  that 
his  wifdom  is  infinite  ;  and  that,  if  it  is  really  neceffary,  he 
can  eafily  find  a  way  of  bellowing  it.  Pfal.  xxxiv.  9,  io< 
"  O  fear  the  Lord  ye  his  lalnts  ;  for  there  is  no  want  to 
"  them  that  fear  him.  The  young  lions  do  lack,  and  fuf- 
"  fer  hunger  :  but  they  that  feek  the  Lord  Ihall  not  want 
"  any  good  thing."  He  dwells  upon  the  univerfal  pre- 
fence  and  the  fpecial  providence  of  God,  and  endeavors 
to  reafon  dov/n  his  anxiety  and  fear.  Perhaps  he  may  do 
it  in  the  words  of  our  blelfed  Saviour,  Matth.  vi.  25.  to 
the  33.  verfe,  "  Therefore,  I  fay  unto  you,  take  no  thought 
"  for  your  life,  what  ye  Hiall  eat,  or  what  ye  lliall  drink, 
"  nor  yet  for  your  body  v/hat  ye  fliall  put  on  ;  is  not  the 
*'  life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body  than  raiment  ?  Be- 
*'  hold  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  for  they  fov/  not,  neither  do 
"  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns ;  yet  your  heavenly 
"  Father  feedeth  tliem.  Are  ye  not  much  better  than 
"  they  ?  V/hich  of  you,  by  taking  thought,  can  add  one 
*'  cubit  unto  his  Itature  ?  And  why  take  ye  thought  for 
"  raiment  ?  Confider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they 
"  grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  fpin  :  and  yet,  I 
"  fay  unto  you,  that  even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  was 
"  not  arrayed  like  one  of  thefe.  Wherefore,  if  God  fo 
*'  clothe  the  grafs  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-mor- 
*'  row  is  cafl  into  the  oven,  fhall  he  not  much  more  clothe 
"  you,0  ye  of  little  faith?  Therefore  take  no  thought,  faying, 
"  what  fliall  we  eat  ?  or  what  fliall  v/e  drink  ?  or  where- 
"  withal  fliall  we  be  clothed  ?  (For  after  all  thefe  things 
*'  do  the  Gentiles  feek  ;)  for  your  heavenly  Father  know- 
"  eth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  thefe  things. 

Is  the  believer  dillrelfed  v/ith  enemies,  malicious,  pow- 
erful, implacable  l  does  he  fuffer,  or  is  he  afraid  of  fuflfer- 


IV bo  trust  in  God.  ^^ 

iiig  from  tlicm,  in  his  name,  in  his  pciTon,  in  his  life  it- 
felf  r  he  confiders  the  power  of  God  to  fliicld  him  from 
their  attacks,  or  more  than  compenfale  all  the  injuries 
which  he  may  receive  from  them,  and  Ih-engthen  and  ani- 
mate him  to  a  vigorous  difchai'ge  of  his  duty  in  oppofition 
to  them.  Pfal.  iii.  5,  6,  7,  8.  "  I  laid  me  down  and  llept, 
"  I  awaked  ;  for  the  Lord  fuflained  me  :  I  will  not  be  a- 
"  fraid  often  thoufands  of  peojile  that  have  fet  themfelves 
"  againfi:  me  round  about.  Arife,  O  Lord ;  fave  me  O 
"  my  God  ;  for  thou  haft  fmitten  all  mine  enemies  upon 
"  the  cheek-bone;  thou  haft  broken  the  teeth  of  the  ungod- 
"  ly.  Salvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord  ;  thy  blefTing  is 
"  upon  thy  people,  Selah."  He  endeavors  to  deliver 
himfelf  from  the  diftrefting  fear  of  man,  by  the  reafonable 
and  dutiful  fear  of  offending  God,  Luke,  xii.  4,  6.  ''And 
"  I  fay  unto  jou,  my  friends,  be  not  afraid  of  them  that 
"  kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can 
*'  do.  But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  you  fhall  fear:  Fear 
"  him,  which  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  caft  into 
"  hell,  yea,  I  fay  unto  you,  fear  him."  Dan.  iii.  16,17,  ^^* 
"  Shadrach,  Meftiech,  andAbednego,  anfwered,  andfaicho 
''  the  king,  O  Nebucliadnezzar  !  we  are  not  careful  to  an- 
'*  fwer  thee  in  this  matter.  If  it  be  fo,  our  God,  v/liom 
"  we  ferve,  is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  fier}^  fur- 
"  nace  ;  and  he  will  deliver  us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  Kincj ! 
"  But,  if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  King!  that  we  will 
"  not  ferve  thy  gods,  nor  worfhip  the  golden  image  which 
"  thou  haft  fet  up." 

Is  the  believer  afraid  of  the  ordinary  evils  of  life  ?  is  he 
of  a  timorous  nature,  trembling  at  the  thoughts  of  the  ac- 
cidents that  may  beiiil  him  ?  he  runs  to  the  name  of  God 
as  the  fupreme  difpofer  of  eveiy  event,  and  thinks  of  the 
invifible  power  that  governs  and  directs  all  vifible  things, 
and  that  the  very  minifters  of  providence  have  received  a 
charge  concerning  all  his  people:  Pfal.xci.  i, — 12.  "  lie 
*'  that  dwelleth  in  the  fccret  place  of  the  Moft  Hiirh  fliall 
''  abide  und^jr  the  fhadow  of  the  Almiglity.  I  w  ill  fay  of 
*'  the  Lord,  he  is  my  refuge,  and  my  fortrefs  ;  my  God, 
"  in  him  will  truft.  Surely  he  fhall  dclivtr  thee  fron; 
"  the  fnare  of  the  fov/lcr,  and  from  die  noifome  pcllilence, 


^6  The  Security  of  those 

*'  He  Ihall  cover  thee  with  his  feathers ;  and  under  his 
*'  wings  fhalt  thou  trulL  His  truth  Ihall  be  thy  fliield  and 
*'  buckler.  Thou  llialt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night, 
*'  nor  for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day ;  nor  for  the  pefti- 
*'  lence  that  walketh  in  darknefs ;  nor  for  the  deilrudtion 
"  that  wafteth  at  noon-day.  A  thoufand  lliall  fall  at  thy 
"  fide,  and  ten  thoufand  at  thy  right  hand ;  but  it  fliall 
"  not  come  nigh  thee  :  only  with  thine  eyes  llialt  thou 
"  behold,  and  fee  the  reward  of  the  wicked,  becaufe  thou 
''  haft  made  the  Lord,  which  is  my  refuge,  even  the  Moft 
"  High,  thy  habitation.  There  ihall  no  evil  befal  thee, 
"  neither  fhall  any  plague  come  nigh'  thy  dwelling  :  for 
"•  he  fliall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee, 
"  in  all  thy  ways." 

T"©  the  power  I  joined  the  willingnefs  of  God  to  preferve 
and  proteft  his  people,  on  their  fmcere  and  humble  appli- 
cation to  him  for  it.  This  is  abfolutely  neceffary  as  a 
part  of  the  obje£t  of  faith.  It  would  be  in  vain  to  run  to 
any  ftrong  place,  with  a  view  of  being  preferved  from  our 
enemies,  unlefs  we  have  fome  ground  to  hope  we  fhall  be 
received  into  ;  and  it  would  be  madnefs  to  flee  to  a  fortrefs 
kept  by  an  enemy ;  but  God  is  every  righteous  man's 
friend  :  all  the  divine  perfeftions  are  engaged  for  his  wel- 
fare :  and  therefore  he  may  confidently  run  to  God  from 
every  danger,  and  be  alTured  both  of  a  kind  welcome,  and 
of  all  that  fafety  which  is  neceffary  for  him. 

Faith,  in  this  rcfpe£l,has  an  immediate  relation  to  thepro- 
mifesof  God.  It  ishis  name, as  I  obferved  ona  former  head, 
to  which  we  are  to  flee,  as  revealed  in  his  written  word  ; 
and  much  of  the  life  of  praftical  religion  confifts  in  attend- 
ing to  the  tenor,  and  in  a  daily  application  of  the  promi- 
fes.  God  himfelf  requires  us  to  call  upon  him  in  a  time 
of  trouble,  Pfal.  1.  15.  "  And  call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
*'  trouble  ;  I  will  deliver  thee  ;  and  thou  flialt  glorify  me." 
Nay,  he  is  graciouily  pleafed  to  reckon  our  calling  upon 
him  an  effentiai  charaftcr  of  his  own  people,  Zech.  xiii.  9. 
*'  And  I  will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire,  and  will 
*'  refine  them  as  filver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them  as  gold 
*'  is  tried  ;  they  fliall  call  on  my  name,  and  I  will  hear 
"  them  ;   I  will  fay,  it  is  my  people  ;  and  they  fliall  fay, 


svbo  trust  in  God. 


51 


"  the  Lord  is  my  God."  He  is  pleafed  to  efiecni  this,  as 
giving  him  the  j^lory  oFhis  truth  and  faithJulnefs,  uifdom, 
power,  and  goodneis,  which  we  find  reprefented  in  Icrip- 
ture  as  To  many  chambers  of  protection  into  which  tl.c 
righteous  are  called  to  enter  lor  fafety  and  prelervation, 
Ifa.  xxvi.  20.  "  Come,  my  people.,  enter  thou  into  thy 
"  chambers,  andfliutthy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thy  fell  as 
"  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be 
*'  overpart." 

I  fliall  only  further  obferve  tliat  fuith  in  both  thefe  re- 
fpeQs,  as  applying  the  power  and  promifc  of  God,  receives 
very  much  ib'ength  Irom  the  examples  of  his  mercy,  ei- 
ther towards  ourfelves  or  others.     His  name  is  recorded 
in  every  page  of  the  hillory  of  Providence.     And  his  peo- 
ple cannot,  in  a  more  proper  oreite(^lual  manner,  run  into 
it  as  a  strong  to'iver^  than  by  confidcring  and  weighing  the 
examples  of  divine  interpofition,  in  behalf  of  his  faithful 
fervants.     For  this  reaibn,  is  fo  great  a  part  of  the  holy 
Scriptures  hillorical ;  becaufe  they  ferve,  in  a  more  effec- 
tual manner,  to  engrave  the  trutlis  of  religion  both  on  the 
memory  and  heart.     Many  can  remember  what  befel 
Abraham,  David,  Samuel,  Daniel,  and  others,  who  v.ould 
forget  the  precepts  delivered  tlicm  in  a  more  abflract  man- 
ner.   And  every  one  muft  be  fenfible,  that  the  iiillruclions 
which  arife   clearly  and  obviouily  from  hillorical  fadls, 
come  home  upon  the  confcience  with  a  degree  of  evi- 
dence, fuperior  to  any  thing  that  flows  merely  froni  the 
dedudlions  of  reafon.     May  not  the  ChriRian,  with  great 
advantage,  fay,  "  Do  I  not  ferve  an  everlafling  and  un- 
'  changeable  God  ?     Is  he  not  the  lame  yellcrday,  to-day, 
'  and  forever  ?     Is  his  hand  at  all  fliortened,  that  it  can- 
^  not  fave  ;  or  his  ear  heavy,  that  it  cannot  hear  ?  Is  not 
'  he  who  faved  David  the  Ib-ipling,  from  the  flrength  of 
'  Goliah  ;  w  ho  faved  Daniel  from  the  power  of  the  lions  ; 
•■  and  in  many  other  inllances,  afTiIlcd  or  delivered  liis 
'  own  people,  when  emj)loyed  in  his  fervice,  able  to  fave 
"  me  from  the   power  of  the  enemy,  and  to  carry  me 
'  through  all  the  trials  of  this  earthly  flate,  v/hether  they 
arife  from  temptation  or  fufFering  :"  I  h.ope  I  need  not 
tell  you  to  apply,  in  the  lame  manner,  all  that  you  have 


58  The  Security  of  those 

learned  of  the  wifdom  or  ^oodnefs  of  Providence,  from 
reading  or  converfation.  For  this  reafon,  the  Pfalniift  de- 
clares his  refolutionof  communicating  the  mercy  of  God 
to  his  foul,  Pfal.  Ixvi.  16.  "  Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that 
*'  fear  God,  and  I  v/ill  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my 
"  foul.'* 

Suffer  me  here  to  fay,  that  I  cannot  fee  a  fliadow  of  rea- 
fon why  Chriftians  fliould  not  imitate  the  PfaJmift's  ex- 
ample, in  imparting  their  experience  of  divine  grace,  for 
their  mutual  inftruftion  and  confolaticn.  If  the  lludent 
will  communicate  his  intelleiSfual  difcoveries  ;  if  the  natu- 
ralift  will  communicate  his  fafts  and  obfervations  ;  if  the 
tradefman  will  communicate  his  attainment  in  his  profef- 
fion ;  if  no  man  fcruples  to  communicate  what  he  hath 
known  to  be  ufeful,  for  the  health  of  the  body  ;  tell  me, 
ye  fcorners,  what  fliould  hinder  the  Chriftian  to  commu- 
nicate to  his  fellow-fervants,  what  may  ferve  for  their  fpi- 
ritual  confolatlon  and  peace  ? 

But  if  our  mutual  experience  may  be  ferviceable  to 
each  other,  how  much  more  mufl  the  pafi:  goodnefs  of  God 
towards  themfelves,  encourage  his  children  to  put  their 
truft  in  him  ?  How  juft  and  beautiful  the  Pfalmift's  re- 
fleclion,  Pfal.  Ixiii.  7.  "  Becaufe  thou  haft  been  rriy  help  ; 
*'  therefore  in  the  fliadow  of  thy  wings  will  I  rejoice."  In 
the  fame  manner  he  recovers  from  his  doubts  and  fears, 
Pfal.  Ixxvii.  5, — 12.  "  I  have  confidered  the  days  of  old, 
"  the  years  of  ancient  times  ;  I  call  to  remembrance  mv 
"  fong  in  the  night ;  I  commune  with  mine  own  heart, 
*'  and  my  fpirit  made  diligent  fearch.  Will  the  Lord  caft 
"  off  for  ever  ."*  and  will  he  be  favorable  no  more  ?  Is  his 
''  mercy  clean  gone  forever  ?  doth  his  promife  fail  for  ever- 
"  more  ?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  .''  hath  he  in 
"  anger  fhut  up  his  tender  mercies  ?  Selah.  And  1  faid, 
*'  this  is  my  infirmity  ;  but  I  will  remember  the  years  of  the 
"  right  hand  of  the  Moft  High.  I  will  remember  the  works 
"  of  the  Lord,  furely  I  will  remember  thy  wonders  of  old.'* 

Thus,  my  brethren,  the  believer  runs,  by  faith,  into  the 
name  of  God  ar,  his  strong  tower  ;  and  as  he  who  once 
gets  into  what  he  thinks  an  impregnable  fortrefs,  will 
Ipeak  to  his  enemies  in  the  language  of  difdain  and  deft- 


ivbo  (rust  in  God.  59 

ance  ;  fo  he  \rho  hath  repofcd  his  confidence  in  an  al- 
mighty ProteiStor,  may  tread  upon  the  necks  of  his  ene- 
mies ;  may  be  confident,  that  through  God  he  fliall  do 
vahantly.  Neither  is  it  any  fable,  but  matter  of  certain 
experience,  that  many  "  through  faith  have  fubdued 
"  kingdoms  ;  wrought  ri;:;hteoufnefs  :  obtained  promifes ; 
"  flopped  the  mouths  of  lions ;  quenched  the  violence  of 
"  fire  ;  efcaped  the  edge  of  the  fvvord ;  out  of  weaknefs 
"  were  made  ftrong  ;  waxed  valiant  in  fight ;  turned  to 
"  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens."  Heb.  xi.  33,  34. 

2.  The  righteous  runticth  into  the  name  oj  God  as  a 
strong  tovjcr  by  the  exercife  of  fervent  prayer.  Prayer  is 
the  immediate  and  direct  means  of  imploring  the  divine 
afliftance  and  protedion.  Faith  is  the  habitual  principle, 
and  prayer  is  the  actual  application  of  it.  JVIany  are  die 
precepts  in  Scripture  enjoining  the  diligent  exercife  of  this 
duty.  Col.  iv.  2.  "  Continue  in  prayer,  and  watch  in 
"  the  fame  with  thankfgiving."  i  Thef.  v.  17.  "  Pray 
"  without  ceafmg."  Many  are  the  promifes  of  a  gracious 
anfwer  to  our  prayers.  Alatt.  vii.  7.  "  Afk,  and  it  fliall 
"  be  given  you ;  feek  and  ye  Ihall  find ;  knock,  and  it 
"  Ihall  be  opened  unto  you." — xxi.  22.  '■'■  And  all  thinis 
**  whatlbever  ye  fliall  ailc  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  fliall  re- 
"  ceive."  John  xiv.  13.  ''  And  whatlbever  ye  ihall  alk 
"  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do ;  that  the  Father  may  be 
"  glorified  in  the  Son."  There  are  alfo  exhortations  to 
importunity  in  prayer.  Luke  xviii.  1.  "  And  he  fpake  a 
"  parable  unto  them,  to  this  end,  that  men  ought  always 
"  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint."  Many  affurances  of  the 
fuccefs  of  prayer.  Pfal.  xxxiv.  6,  17.  ''  This  poor  man 
*'  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him,  and  faved  him  out  of  all 
"  his  troubles.  The  righteous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth, 
"  and  delivereth  them  out  of  all  their  troubles."  Mam/ 
examples  of  the  power  and  efficacy  of  pra}^cr,  as  in  Jacob, 
David,  Daniel. —  It  fecms  plainly  an  cficntial  character  of 
true  piety,  to  be  given  to  prayer.  Pfal.  cix.  4.  "  For  my 
*'  love  they  are  my  adverfaries,  but  I  gave  myfelf  unto 
"  prayer."  I  forbear  enlarging  on  thefe  particularly,  and 
lliall  only  fay,  that  it  is  quite  necefiary,  in  order  to  our 
running  into  the  njime  of  God  as  a  strong  to^i^er.   Tiiough 


6o  The  Security  of  those 

he  knowetli  all  our  wants  perfectly,  he  requires  that  we 
implore  his  afiiflance  by  prayer.  Phil.  4,  6.  '^  Be  careful 
"  for  nothing,  but  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  fupplica- 
*'  tion,  with  thankfgiving,  let  your  requells  be  made  known 
''  unto  God." 

The  truth  is,  prayer  is  the  natural  remedy  to  which  all 
are  ready  to  fly  in  extremity.  Even  bad  men  are  difpofcd 
to  cry  unto  God  in  great  diilrefs,  but  his  own  children  are 
more  habitually  exercifed  to  the  duty,  and  as  they  only 
do  it  on  proper  principles,  and  with  proper  difpofitions,  fo 
they  only  have  the  promife  of  acceptance,  and  fuccefs. 
Jam.  v.  16.  "  The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous 
"  man  availeth  much." 

3.  In  the  lall  place,  The  righteous  runneth  into  the 
name  of  God  as  a  strong  toiver^  by  diligence  in  his  duty. 
Thisalfo  isneceffary  and  infeparable  from  a  child  of  God, 
and  in  order  to  take  a  diilindl  view  of  the  Chriftian's  dili- 
gence, in  this  particular  light,  as  the  foundation  of  trufl, 
you  m.ay  obferve,  that  it  implies  thefe  following  things. 
I.  Diligence  in  all  duties  in  Q'eneral ;  in  order  to  afcer- 
tain  his  character,  and  to  be  aiTured  of  the  divine  favor 
and  proteftion,  the  promifes  of  deliverance,  of  Itrength 
and  prefervation,  are  all  made  to  thofe  who  ferve  God  in 
lincerity.  There  is  no  fuch  thing  as  a  promife  in  any  part 
of  fcripture  to  a  bad  man,  as  fuch.  There  are  alfo  the 
mofi:  pofitlve  and  gracious  allu ranees  of  powerful  fupport 
in  fuffering,  and  all  neceflary  help  to  thofe  who  truly  fear 
God,  Ifa.  xliii.  i,  2.  "  But  now,  thus  faith  the  Lord,  that 
*'  created  thee,  O  Jacob  !  and  he  that  formed  thee,  O  If. 
"•  rael !  Fear  not,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee  ;  I  have  call- 
*'  ed  thee  by  thy  name,  thou  art  mine.  When  thou  paneft 
"  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee  ;  and  through 
"  the  rivers,  they  fhall  not  overflow  thee.  When  thou 
"  vv'alkefl:  through  the  fire,  thou  ihalt  not  be  burnt ;  neither 
"  fliall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  Nay,  the  moft  ex- 
prefs  declarations,  that  all  things  fliali  ilfue  to  their  ad- 
vantage, however  difcouraging  an  afpect  they  may  wear  for 
a  feafon.  Rom.  viii.  28.  "  And  we  knov^r,  that  all  things 
'■''  work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
"  v.dio  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpofe."     From 


luho  trust  in  God.  6t 

this  it  plainly  follows,  that  the  very  way  to  run  into  the 
name  of  God,  is,  by  habitual  diligence  in  doing  his  will. 
The  more  we  can,  by  walking  in  his  fear,  keep  clear  our 
title  to  his  fpecial  favor,  the  more  unfliaken  trull  and 
confidence  we  may  place  in  his  power  and  mercy,  in  eve- 
ry trial ;  for  he  hath  not  ibrfaken  them  that  iovc  him.  So 
certain  is  this,  that  I  believe  every  experienced  Chriftian 
will  bear  teilimony,  that  when  he  is  unhinged  by  diftrefs, 
when  he  is  filled  with  anxiety,  and  fear  of  any  kind,  it 
arifes  as  much,  or  more,  from  fufpicion  of  himfclf,  and 
doubt  of  his  relation  to  God,  as  from  any  difbelief  of  the 
general  truth,  that  God  will  i'upport  and  llrengthen  his 
own  people.  Therefore  the  righteous  may  be  faid  to  rwi 
into  the  name  of  God ^  when  they  exercife  themfelves  in 
keeping  confciences  void  of  offence,  and  walk  fo  as  they 
may  humbly  hope  for  his  acceptance  and  approbation. 

2.  As  a  good  man  runs  into  his  ftrong  tower,  by  dili- 
gence in  every  part  of  his  duty  in  general ;   fo  particular- 
ly by  a  watchful  attention  to  his  conduft,  in  every  time  of 
trial  or  danger.  He  will  be  on  his  guard,  left  by  any  part 
of  his  behaviour  he  provoke  God  to  depart  from  him.    He 
will  then,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  fet  the  Lord  before  him, 
that  he  may,  with  the   greater  confidence,    com.mit  his 
caufc  and  his  intereft  to  his  care.     The  fufferingdifciples 
of  Chrift  are  often  warned  of  the  neceffity  of  this,      i  Pet. 
iv.   19.   "  Therefore,  let  them  that   fuffer,  according  to 
"  the  will  of  God,  commit   the   keeping  of  their  fouls  to 
"  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator."     Wl:e- 
ther  therefore  tlie  danger  arifes  from  bodily  diftrefs,  frciu 
worldly  loIFes,  from  llander  and  reproach,  or  from   what- 
ever other  quarter,  the  firft  and  great  care  of  the  Chriftian 
fliould  be,  to  keep  his  confcience  undefiled  ;  and  the  ne- 
ceffity of  this  is  the  greater,  that  fuffering  times  are  always 
times  of  trial.     It  is  no  eafy  matter  to  refift   the  temptati- 
ons which  arifc  from  a  fuffering  ftate,  ordained  exprefsly 
for  the  trial  of  our  faith,   which  we  are  told,  is  "  more  pre- 
"  cious  than  that  of  gold  which  perifheth.'*     We  ma}'  be 
tempted  to   impatience  under  calamity,  to  refentment  of 
injuries,  to  taking  wrong  and  finful  methods  of  rcdrefs. 
In oppofjtion  to  all  Uicfe,  the  fervant  of  Gcd  will  be  par- 

VOL.   If.  H 


62  The  Security  of  those 

ticularly  careful  to  avoid  thofe  fins  which  his  fitnation  in- 
vites him  to,  and  to  difcharge  thofe  duties  which  the  af- 
pe<?t  of  Providence  feems  to  uili  of  him  ;  he  will  confider 
this  as  the  great  and  only  object  of  his  attention,  and  free- 
ly commit  the  conduft  of  events,  and  the  iiTue  of  things, 
to  an  all-gracious,  and  Almighty  God.  Pfal.  xxxvii.  5,  6. 
*'  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord ;  trull  alfo  in  him,  and 
^^  he  fliall  bring  it  to  pafs.  And  he  fliall  bring  forth  thy 
"  righteoufnefs  as  the  light,  and  thy  judgment  as  the 
"•  noon  day. 

3.  A  good  man  will  diligently  ufe  every  lawful  mean 
for  his  protection  and  deliverance.  This  may  be  confi- 
dered  as  included  under  the  former  particular,  being  a 
part  of  his  duty.  Trufi:  in  God,  is  by  no  means  a  pre- 
fumptuous  andflothful  fecurity,  but  a  patient  dependence 
on  the  bleffing  of  Providence  in  an  application  to  our  du- 
ty. To  do  otherwife,  is  juft  what  is  called  in  fcripture^ 
teinpi'ing  God.  For  the  wife  ft  purpofes,  God  hath  fixed 
and  fettled  the  relation  between  the  means  and  the  end  ; 
and  we  are  not  to  expert,  either  in  natural  or  fpiritual 
things,  to  obtahi  the  end,  while  we  defpife  the  means. 
Gal.  vi.  7.  "Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked;  for 
"  whatfoever  a  man  foweth,  that  fliall  he  alfo  reap."  But, 

4.  In  the  laft  place.  The  good  man  will  renounce  all 
dependence  on  created  help,  as  fuch,  and  place  his  ulti- 
mate hope  only  on  the  power  and  fovereignty  of  Divine 
Providence.  He  will  not  negleft  the  ufe  of  outward 
means,  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  God,  but  will 
look  for  the  exped.ed  benefit  from  them,  only  by  the  blefl"- 
ing  of  God.  The  ninning  into  a  strong  tower ^  implies  a 
renunciation  of  our  dependence  on  any  thing  elfe,  we  give 
up  all  other  methods  of  defence,  and  truft  in  it  alone  for 
fecurity.  So  it  is  here.  There  may  be  not  only  a  de- 
pendence on  means  unlawful  in  themfelves,  but  a  finful,- 
becaufe  an  excefiive  dependence  upon  fuch  as  are  moll 
lawful.  We  fee  this  remark  made  on  Afa.  2  Chron.  xvi. 
12.  "  And  Afa,  in  the  thirty  and  ninth  year  of  his  reign, 
*'  was  difeafed  in  his  feet,  until  hisdifeafe  was  exceeding 
"  great :  Yet  in  his  dlfeale  he  ibught  not  to  the  Lord,  but 
"  to  the  phyficians.'*     Many  are  the  evidences  we  have 


%vho  trust  in  God.  63 

from  daily  experience,  of  the  weaknefs  and  uncertainty 
of  all  outward  means,  that  we  may  not  be  tempted  to  ido- 
lize them,  or  to  truft  in  them  ;  and  we  find,  in  many 
paflages  of  fcripture,  an  exprefs  oppofition  Hated  between 
trull  in  God,  and  truil  in  human  or  created  help.  Pfal. 
cxviii.  8,  9.  ''  It  is  better  to  trull  in  the  Lord,  than  to  put 
"  confidence  in  man.  It  is  better  to  trull  in  the  Lord, 
"  than  to  put  confidence  in  princes."  Pfidm  cxlvi.  3. 
"  Put  not  your  trull  in  princes,  nor  in  tlie  fon  of  man,  in 
"  whom  there  is  no  help." 

III.  We  proceed  now  to  the  diird  thing  propofed : 
which  was,  to  confider  the  perfe6l  fecurity  of  the  righte- 
ous, %vho  rumictb  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  as  a  strong 
tower — the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe.  And 
here,  my  brethren,  I  cannot  help  obferving,  that  though 
this  is  a  truth  of  the  moll  maniteil  importance,  and,  at  the 
fame  time,  the  moll  undoubted  certainty,  it  is  what  but 
i<t\w  attain  to  the  unfhaken  perfuafion  and  daily  application 
of,  in  their  paflage  through  this  valley  of  tears.  In  order 
to  illullrate  it,  I  Ihall  fliortly  confider,  ill,  Wherehi  this 
fafety  ofthe  righteous  confills.  2dly,  The  ablblute  certain- 
ty of  their  being  tlius  prefen^ed  fate. 

We  are  told,  the  righteous  runneth  into  this  toiver,  and 
is  safe.  In  a  perfect  confifience  with  the  ufe  of  the  me- 
taphor, the  word  might  perhaps  be  better  tranflated,  is  <fA  - 
alted,  or  placed  on  high.  Now,  their  fafety,  I  think, 
confills  in  the  following  particulars,  i.  God,  many  times, 
by  the  courfe  of  his  Providence,  preferves  them  from  dan- 
gers which  they  could  not  otherwife  efcape.  Every  good 
man,  who  has  attended,  if  I  mayfo  fpeak,  to  his  ownhif- 
tory,  mull  have  obferved,  that  he  hath  been  delivered  from 
danger  by  fuch  means  as  were  no  way  the  elieCl  of  his 
own  prudence  or  forefight,  nor  indeed  could  be,  and 
which  therefore  he  is  conllrained  to  afcribe  to  the  goodnefs, 
and  wifdom  of  Providence.  Nay,  fometimes  diings  fall 
out  fo  contrary  to  human  expeftalion,  and  the  ordinary 
courfe  of  things,  that  he  is  conllrained,  with  wonder,  to 
confcfs  the  very  finger  of  God.  He  foinctlmes  bhifis  the 
>:ounfcl  of  the  wicked,  and  makes  their  devices  of  none 


64  'rhe  Security  of  those 

effeft.  The  Egyptians  thought  the  Ifraelites  were  fo  in- 
clofed  in  tlie  Wildernefs,  with  the  Red  Sea  before  them, 
and  their  army  at  their  back,  that  it  was  impoffible  for 
them  to  efcape  :  but  God,  by  a  mighty  hand,  and  an  out- 
ftrctched  arm,  opened  a  way  for  them  through  the  midft 
of  the  waters,  and  their  enemies  were  drowned  in  the 
depths  of  the  fea.  Haman,  no  doubt,  thought  his  ven- 
geance fure  againft  all  the  Jews  ;  but,  when  it  was  juft 
ready  to  burft,  God  turned  his  devifes  againft  himfelf,  and 
caufcd  him  to  perifli  by  the  very  means  which  he  had 
contrived  for  the  deftrudlion  of  the  innocent. 

I  need  not  attempt,  becaufe  indeed  it  is  impofTible,  to 
enumerate  the  various  ways  by  which  the  great  Difpofer 
of  all  things  works  deliverance  in  danger.  He  fometimes 
chan-:;es  the  hearts  of  enemies,  as  he  did  of  Efau  towards 
Jacob — and  of  the  Apoftle  Paul,  when  breathing  out 
threatenings  againft  the  church — He  fometimes  carves 
out  other  work  for  perfecutors,  as  Saul  was  once  and  again 
called  off  from  the  purfuit  of  David  by  the  Philiftines ; 
and  fometimes  he  makes  the  intended  evil  prove  a  real 
bleffing ;  as  in  the  cafe  of  Jofeph,  in  v/hofe  hiftory  we 
have  one  of  the  moft  beautiful  draughts  of  Providence 
that  is  any  where  to  be  feen,  and  done  with  that  union 
of  majefty  aiid  ftmplicity,  which  fo  remarkably  diftinguifli- 
es  the  facred  writings.  The  whole  hundred  and  twenty- 
fourth  Pfalm  is  a  celebration  of  divine  power,  and  a 
hymn  of  praife  for  divine  proteftion.  "  If  it  had  not  been 
"  the  Lord,  who  was  on  our  fide,  now  may  Ifrael  fay  ;  if 
"  it  had  not  been  the  Lord,  who  was  on  our  fide,  when 
"  men  roie  up  againft  us,  then  they  had  fwallowed  us  up 
"  quick,  when  their  wrath  Vv-as  kindled  againft  us  ;  then 
"  the  waters  had  overwhelmed  us,  the  ftream  had  gone 
"  over  our  foul :  then  the  proud  waters  had  gone  over 
"  our  foul.  Bleffed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  not  given  us 
"  as  a  prey  to  tlieir  teeth.  Our  foul  is  efcaped  as  a  bird 
"  out  of  the  fnare  of  the  fowlers :  the  fnare  is  broken, 
"  and  we  are  efcaped.  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the 
"  Lord,  who  made  heaven  and  earth." 

I  fhall  only  add,  on  this  head,  that  a  ferious  perfon, 
when  thinking  or  fpeaking  of  deliverance  from  danger, 


tvbo  trust  in  Cod.  6^ 

will  always  confider  fin  as  the  greatefl:  danger :  he  will  re- 
fle6t,  with  the  higheft  plcafurc,  on  the  inliances  in  which 
God  has  enabled  him  to  difcharge  his  duty  with  conrtancy. 
Let  me  beg  of  you  lo  remember,  with  what  courage  and 
refolution  the  young  perfbns,  Shadrach,  Mtlliech,  and 
Abednego  fpoke  to  King  Kebuchadnezzar,  and  refifted 
the  threatenings  of  that  pov.erful  prince.  It  "is  worth 
while  to  obferve,  that  they  and  Daniel  feem,  in  that  peri- 
lous time,  to  have  given  themfelves  much  to  the  exercife 
of  prayer.  Thus,  running  into  the  name  ef  God  as  a 
strong  (oiver,  they  obtained  fccurity,  w  hile  other  ver}'  emi- 
nent perfons,  by  triifting  in  themfelves,  or  boaiiing  of  their 
own  llrengih,  fell  before  temptations  otavcr}'  trifiing  kind, 
as  Abraliam  and  Ifaac  in  denying  their  wi\  es,  and  tlie  A- 
poftle  Peter  in  den}-ing  his  JMaller. 

2.  The  lecuriry  oi  the  righteous  confifls  in  the  promife 
of  llrength  and  fupport  in  the  time  of  trial.  Although 
God  preierves  his  people  from  many  dangers,  yet  he  has 
no  where  promifed  them  deliverance  from  all.  On  the 
contrary,  we  are  told,  "  that  all  that  will  live  godly  in 
*'  Chrill  Jefus  muft  luffer  peri'ecution ;  and  that  through 
"  much  tribulation  we  mult  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
"  God."  Yet  even  in  tliefe  circumflances,  they  are  fafe, 
becaufe  God  is  with  them  in  their  afflidions  ;  his  rod  and 
his  ilafT  powerfully  fupport  them.  Need  1  tell  you,  that 
here,  in  a  particular  manner,  the  text  is  exemplified : 
Tbe  jiame  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower ;  the  righteous 
runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe.  Unaer  a  fmarting  rod,  what 
can  a  chiljl  of  God  do,  but  enter  into  his  fecret  chambers, 
and  fupplicate  the  aliiliance  and  prefcnce  of  his  reconciled 
Father  ?  and  has  he  not  promifed  to  grant  it  ?  Ifa.  xliii.  i. 
"  But  now,  thus  faith  the  Lord,  that  created  thee,  O 
"  Jacob !  and  he  that  formed  thee,  O  Ifrael !  fear  not ; 
"  lor  1  have  redeemed  thee ;  I  have  called  thee  by  tliy 
"  name  ;  thou  art  mine."  And  has  he  not  many  times, 
in  fadt,  granted  it  ?  The  three  children  walking  at  liber- 
ty in  the  midlt  of  the  fire  with  the  Son  of  God,  as  their 
companion,  was  but  one  infiance  of  what  has  many  times 
happened  in  every  age.  Who  would  not  rather  be  in  the 
place  of  Paul  and  Silas,  finging  praifcs  to  God  iu  their 


66  l^he  Security  of  those 

chains,  than  be  the  mafter  of  the  world,  with  all  the  dan- 
ger and  anxieties  of  a  throne  ?  Let  me  here  m;ake  an  ob- 
fervation,  which  I  think  is  warranted  both  by  icripture 
and  experience,  that  jult  as  in  point  of  duty,  fo  alio  in 
point  of  fullering,  the  fecurity  and  comfort  or  the  people 
of  God  depends  upon  their  running  into,  and,  if  1  may 
fo  exprefs  it,  keeping  within  the  bounds  ot  their  firong 
tower.  If  they  keep  clofe  to  God,  no  fuiiering  will  dif- 
concert  them  ;  no  enemy  will  terrify  them  :  but,  if  they 
negletl  this,  they  may  be  unhinged  by  a  very  flight  trial. 
I  hmted  betore,  felf-dependence  will  make  men  fall  before 
a  very  trifling  temptation:  but  dependence  on  divine  fnength 
will  make  them  fuperior  to  the  greatelt.  In  the  very  fame 
manner,  it  hath  been  often  feen,  that  perfons,  who  have 
loll  their  temper,  or  loft  their  courage,  in  iuiiermgs  of 
no  extraordinary  kind,  when  more  leverely  tried  have 
behaved  infinitely  better,  and  being  confirained  to  irlee 
to  God  for  protedion,  have  found  fuch  benefit  from  it, 
that  they  have  Hept  in  peace  and  comfort  in  a  loathlome 
prifon,  have  gone  with  an  undaunted  ftep  to  an  igno- 
minious fcaffold,  nay,  and  embraced,  with  joy  and  tranf- 
port  a  halter  or  a  ilake. 

3.  In  tne  laft  place.  The  righteous  is  fafe  under  the 
divine  protection,  as  they  are  lure  of  deliverance  in  the 
end,  and  complete  victory  over  all  fufferings  of  every  kind. 
Thus  it  is  faid,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  17.  to  the  end..  "  Tne  righ- 
*'  teous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth,  and  delivereth  them 
*'  out  of  all  their  troubles.  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them 
"  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and  faveth  fuch  as  be  of  a  con- 
"  trite  Ipirit.  Many  are  the  afiiidtions  of  the  righteous  ; 
"  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of  them  all.  He  keep- 
"  eth  all  his  bones,  not  one  of  them  is  broken.  Evil 
"  fliall  flay  the  wicked,  and  they  that  hate  the  righteous 
"  Ihall  be  defolate.  The  Lord  redeemeth  the  loul  of  his 
"fervants;  and  none  of  them  that  trull  in  him  fliall  be 
"  defolate."  There  is  a  great  beauty  in  this  lail  pafiage, 
which  is  loft  or  concealed  in  our  tranflation  ;  it  lies  in  the 
oppofition  between  the  19th  and  21ft  verles.  The  19th 
verfe  runs  thus,  "  Many  are  the  affiidtions  of  the  righte- 
"  ous ;  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of  tliem  all."     In 


ic/jo  trust  in  God.  6y 

oppofition  to  this,  it  is  faid,  in  the  21ft  verfe,  as  it  fliould 
be  tranlluted,  "  One  evil  fiiall  flay  the  wicked  ;  and  they 
"  that  hate  the  rii^hteous  iliall  be  dclblate."  This  proba- 
bly points  at  the  great  dillinguilhing  fecurity  of  good  men, 
that  their  lalvauon  is  fafe  in  the  keeping  of  God,  and  quite 
beyond  the  reach  of  their  moft  implacable  enemies.  What- 
ever llraitening  circumllances  they  may  be  reduced  to, 
they  have  treafures  in  heaven,  "  which  neither  moth  nor 
*'  ruil  can  corrupt,  nor  thief  break  through  and  Ileal.'* 
They  may  be  driven  from  their  habitations,  or  baniflied 
from  their  country  ;  they  may  refemble  thofe  of  whom  we 
read,  Heb.  xi.  36,  37,  38.  "■  And  others  had  trials  of  cruel 
"  mockings,  and  fcourgings, ;  yea  moreover  of  bonds  and 
"  imprifonment.  They  were  floned,  they  were  fawn  afun- 
*'  der,  were  tempted,  were  flain  with  the  fv.ord  ;  they 
**  wandered  about  in  flieep  llvins,  and  goat  fliins  ;  being 
"  dellitute,  afflifted,  tormented,  (of  whom  the  world  was 
"  not  worthy  ;)  they  wandered  in  deferts,  and  in  moun- 
"  tains,  and  in  dens,  and  caves  of  the  earth  ;"  but  they 
cannot  be  baniflied  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  No  ty- 
rant can  fliut  the  gates  of  Paradile  againfi:  them  ;  for  they 
have  been  opened  by  him,  "  who  openeth,  and  no  man 
"  lliuttcth  ;  and  fliutteth,  and  no  man  openeth."  I  have 
often  read  witli  admiration,  both  in  the  infpired  writings 
and  ecclefiaftical  hiitory,  the  patience  and  confiancy  of  the 
martyrs.  How  edifying  is  it  to  oblerve,  Uiat  by  witneflTing 
a  good  confelTion,  together  with  the  gracious  influence  of 
the  fpirit  of  God,  they  have  become  fuperior  to  the  fear 
of  death,  and  have  been  enabled  to  defpife  or  pity  the 
weaknefs  ofperfecutingrage  ?  Sometimes  we  may  clear- 
ly fee,  the  unrighteous  judges  torn  in  pieces,  with  the  fury 
of  infernal  pallions,  vainly  endeavoring  to  wreak  tL/ir 
malice,  by  newly  invented  tortures,  and  the  happy  pri- 
foners,  as  it  were,  already  beyond  their  reach,  while  by 
faith  and  hope  they  are  firmly  affured  of  "  an  inheritance 
*'  incorruptible  and  undefilecl,  and  diat  fadcth  not  away, 
"  refer ved  in  heaven  above." 

Having  thus  confidered  the  nature  of  the  good  man's 
fecurity,  I  am  now  to  confider  the  abfolute  certainty  otit. 
On  this  I  ihall  be  very  fliort,  it  reils  upon  tlie  divine  per- 


68  The  Security  of  those 

fe6lion,  the  divine  promife,  and  the  experience  of  the 
faints.  I.  The  divine  perfeftion.  Is  there  any  thing 
too  hard  for  the  Almighty  ?  Is  he  not  the  Lord  of  nature  ? 
And  are  not  all  things  obedient  to  his  will  ?  The  great 
enemy  of  fouls,  and  all  his  inftruments  and  agents,  are 
under  the  government  of  God.  He  lets  bounds  to  their 
rage,  and  will  not  fufter  them  to  go  fo  much  as  one  hairs 
breadth  beyond  the  limits  he  hath  appointed  for  them. 
How  great  then  muft  be  the  fecurity  of  thofe  who  put  their 
truft  in  him  ?  Again, 

2.  Confider  his   faithful  promife ;  he  hath  faid  it,  he 
hath  repeated  it,  he  hath  fwora  it,  that  his  covenant  fhall 
ftand  fail  for  ever.     Ever}'-  page  of  tiie   facred  oracles  is  ' 
full  of  the  mofl  gracious  affurances ;    and  thefe   exprefied 

in  the  mod  condefcending  terms.     Pfalm  xci.  i, 4. 

"  He  thatdweileth  in  the  fecret  place  of  the  Moll  High, 
"  fhall  abide  under  the  fiiadow  of  the  Almighty.     I  will 
"  fay  of  the  Lord,  he  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortrefs  ;  my ' 
*'  God,  in  him  will  I  trull.     Surely  he  fnall  deliver  thee  ' 
"  from  the  fnare  of  the  fowler,  and  from  the  noifome  pef- 
"  tilence.     He  lliall  cover  thee  v/ith  his  feathers,  and  un- 
*'  der  his  wings  flialt  thou  truft  :    his  truth  fliall  be  thy ' 
"  fhield  and  buckler."  Zech.  ii.  8.  "  He  that  toucheth  you, 
"  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye."     Nay,  the  very  minifters 
of  his  Providence  are  your  attendants.  Pfal.  xci.  11.  "  For 
••'  he  fhall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee 
*'  in  all  thy  ways." 

3.  Confider  the  experience  of  the  faints  ;  they  all,  with 
one  voice,  bear  their  teilimony  to  the  divine  faithfulnefs 
and  mercy.  It  is  with  this  particular  view  that  the  Pfal- 
miil  fays,  in  that  forecited  text,  Pfal.  ix.  to.  "  And  they 
'■'•  that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  truft  in  thee  ;  for 
''•  thou,  Lord,  haft  not  forfaken  them  that  feek  thee." 
And  indeed  in  every  age,  Chriftians  of  ftanding  and  ex- 
perience are  ready  to  give  their  fanftion  to  the  certainty 
of  God's  promifes,  and  will  often  confefs  the  greatnefs  of 
his  p?.ft  mercy,  even  while  they  are  chiding  their  own  im- 
patience and  diftruft,  that  it  can  fcarcely  fuffice  to  em- 
bolden them  for  future  duty,  and  prepare  them  for  future 
trials. 


in  Religious  Worship,  77 

Here  I  mufl:  add,  that  the  believer  not  only  defires  to  fee 
the  glory  of  God's  mercy,  in  general,  asdifplayed  in  the  gof- 
pel,  in  which  he  may  have  a  ihare,  but  to  take  an  appro- 
priating view  of  it,  as  what  he  hath  a  clear  right  and  title 
to  call  his  own.  Doubtlefs  the  mercy  of  God  is  publiflied, 
offering  falvation  to  the  chief  of  finners.  It  is  their  duty 
to  accept  of  it ;  it  is  their  intereft  to  cleave  to  it.  But  they 
are  many  times  deterred  by  what  they  fee  in  God,  they 
are  many  times  difcouraged  by  what  they  feel  in  them- 
felves,  and  are  afraid  to  aflert  their  title  to  fo  great  a  blef- 
fmg.  But  when,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  are  enabled  to 
fee  the  infinite  price  paid  for  their  redemption,  in  the  crofs 
of  Chrifi: ;  when  they  fee  the  riches  of  divine  grace,  in  the 
crofs  of  Chrift ;  when  they  hear  the  urgent  invitations  to 
them  to  believeinthe  crofs  of  Ghrill;  when  they  are  enabled 
freely  to  renounce  and  quit  hold  of  every  other  claim ; 
when  their  hearts  are  fweetly  conftrained  by  the  bonds  of 
tlieir  Redeemer's  love ;  they  can  then  look  upon  God  as 
their  reconciled  Father,  through  him  who  hath  made  peace, 
by  the  blood  of  his  crofs,  and  fay  unto  him.  My  Lord  ! 
and  my  God  !  What  an  endearing  view  is  this  of  the  di- 
vine glory,  and  what  ineffable  fatisfadlion  fprings  from  it, 
to  the  foul  ?  What  an  unfpeakable  confolation  to  thofe 
who  have  been  wounded  in  their  fpirits,  and  grieved  in 
their  minds,  when  they  are  enabled  to  apply  the  encou- 
raging promifes  of  the  holy  fcriptures?  Ifa.  i.  18.  "  Come, 
now,  and  let  us  reafon  together,  faith  the  Lord  ;  though 
*'  your  fms  be  as  fcarlet,  they  fliall  be  as  white  as  fnow ; 
*'  though  they  be  red  like  crimfon,  they  fhall  be  as  wool. 
"  Ifa.  xliii.  25.  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
"  tranfgreffions,  for  mine  own  fake  ;  and  will  not  remem- 
*'  ber  thy  fms,  xliv.  22.  I  have  blotted  out,  as  a  thick 
"  cloud,  thy  tranfgreffions,  and  as  a  cloud  thy  fms.  Re- 
"  turn  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee." 

3.  The  believer  defires  to  fee  the  glory  of  God,  as  an  all- 
fufHcient  God.  This  is  a  neceffary  view  of  God,  as  the 
fupport  and  happinefs  of  the  creature,  as  well  as  the 
ftrt- ngth  and  confolation  of  the  finner. 

My  brethren,  man  was  made  for  living  upon  God  ;  for- 
getting this  he  firfl:  went  aftray  from  him.  Self  fufficien- 
cy,  and  a  delufive  fenfe  of  independance,  is  infcparable 

Vol.  II.  K 


jB  T/je  Objett  of  a  Christian'' s  Desire 

from  afinful  Rate.  Convl6lion  levels  a  blow  at  the  foun^ 
dation  of  this  millake.  Serious  confideration  flievvs  us 
how  infufficient  we  are  for  our  own  hanpinefs.  Daily  ex- 
perience difcovers  the  inherent  vanity  of  all  created  com- 
forts in  themfelves,  and  as  leparated  from  God.  When 
the  penitent  returns  to  God,  he  not  only  returns,  from  the 
fervice  of  other  mailers,  to  him,  as  his  rightful  Lord  ;  but 
forfalces  all  forbidden  joys,  and  cleaves  to  God  as  his  hap- 
pinefs,  and  rells  In  him  as  his  portion.  Does  not  this  ap- 
pear from  the  uniform  language  of  icripture,  with  regard  to 
both  parts  of  the  covenant  ?  what  belongs  to  God,  and 
what  belongs  to  man.  See  the  tenor  of  an  early  promife 
to  the  father  of  the  faithful,  Gen.  xv.  t.  ''  Fear  not 
*'  Abram  ;  I  am  thy  fliield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  re- 
*'  ward."  Multitudes  of  others  are  of  the  fame  import. 

The  power  and  providence  of  God,  in  behalf  of  his  peo- 
ple, are  largely  and  beautifully  del'cribed  in  the  ninety  firft 
Pfalm,  "  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  fecrct  place  of  the  Moft 
"  High,  lliall  abide  under  the  fliadow  of  the  Almighty.  I 
"  v/ill  fay  of  the  Lord,  he  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortrefs  ; 
*'  my  God,  in  him  will  I  trulh  Surely  he  ihall  deliver 
*'  thee  from  the  fnare  of  the  fowler,  and  from  the  noifome 
"  peitilence.  He  Ihall  cover  thee  with  his  feathers,  and 
•"'  under  his  wings  flialt  thou  truih  His  truth  fnall  be  thy 
"  fliield  and  buckler,"  8^c.  2.  Cor.  vi.  17.  "  Wherefore 
"  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  feparate,  faith 
"  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  and  I  will  re- 
"  ceive  you,  and  will  be  a  father  unto  you,  and  ye  fliall  be 
"  my  fons  and  daughters,  faith  the  Lord  Almighty."  On 
the  other  hand,  the  invitation,  or  exhortation  to  return,  is 
ordinarily  prelfed  from  the  profit  of  the  change,  Ifa.  Iv.  i. 
*'  Ho,  every  one  that  thirlleth !  come  ye  to  the  waters  ; 
"  and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea 
"  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money,  and  with- 
"  out  price."  And,  to  name  no  more  paifages,  when  God 
came  to  eilablifh  the  faith  of  Abraham  in  his  promife,  he 
fays,  Gen.  xvii.  i.  "  I  am  the  Almighty,"  or,  as  it  ought 
*'  to  be  tranflated,  the  all-fufFicient  God :  walk  before  me, 
*'  and  be  thou  perfe6t."  Now,  believers  defire  to  fee  the 
glory  of  God,  as  all-fufficient ;  and  all  difcoveries  of  this 


/;/  Religious  JVorsJAp.  79 

nature  are  attended  vvitli  unfpeakable  complacence  and 
latisCaclion.  They  fee  the  glory  of  an  infinite  God  as 
theirs,  and  rejoice  in  the  riclincis  of  their  portion.  Wea- 
ried with  repeated  diiappointnients,  and  deeply  convinced 
of  the  vanity  of  tiie  creature,  they  relt  in  him,  as  able  to 
give  them  complete  happinefs  ;  hap))inefs  that  will  never 
change  !  happinels  that  will  never  be  exhauiled  ;  He  that 
hath  chofen  God  as  his  portion,  hath,  as  our  Saviour  beau- 
tiiully  exprcfleth  it,  made  "  choice  of  that  good  part,  which 
'•'•  cannot  be  taken  away  from  him." 

My  brethren,  we  arc  now  come  to  the  v(::rY  fubftance> 
of  practical  religion.  The  glory  of  an  all  fufFicient  God, 
apjiears  as  more  than  a  balance  to  all  tliat  i)retends  to  rival 
him  in  our  afiedlions  ;  to  all  that  we  are  called  to  give  up 
ior  his  fake.  When  the  believer  fees  the  fulnefs  of  God, 
then  his  anxiety,  and  diftrefling  fears,  of  every  kind, 
are  at  an  end.  Does  he  want  provifion  I  "  The  earth  is 
*'  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulnefs  thereof.  The  young  lions 
"  do  lack  and  fuffer  hunger  ;  but  they  that  feek  the  Lord, 
"  lliall  not  vi^ant  any  good  thing."  Does  he  want  friends  ? 
God  is  able  to  make  his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him. 
Does  he  want  any  outward  comfort?  God  is  able  to  procure 
it,  or  make  him  iiappy  without  it.  Not  to  mention  par- 
ticulars ;  the  triumph  of  faith,  in  this  view,  is  to  attain 
an  abfolute  and  unconditional  refignation  to  the  will  of 
God,  with  a  firm  perfuafion,  that  he  is  able  to  make  all 
things  work  together  for  our  good,  and  willing  to  bellow 
every  thing  that  is  for  our  real  interell.  It  is  to  lay  with 
the  prophet,  Hab.  iii.  17.  '"■  Although  the  fig  tree  {hall 
"  not  bloffom,  neither  fliall  fruit  be  in  the  vines,  the  labor 
"  of  the  olive  fliali  fail,  and  the  fields  flirll  yield  no  meat ; 
''  the  flock  flniU  be  cut  ofl' from  the  fold,  and  there  Ihall 
"•  be  no  herd  in  the  flails:  yet  Twill  rejoice  in  tiie  Lord, 
*'  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  falvation." 

I  fhall  only  add,  that  the  divine  all-fufficiency  is  to  be 
conlidered,  as  regarding  our  lanclification  as  well  as  com- 
Ibrt.  What  dillrefs  does  not  the  L'.lu-illian  often  lufier 
h'om  the  treachery  of  his  own  heart,  and  from  the  power 
of  liirrounding  temptations  ?  Covered  with  Ihame  for  his 
i^afl  uulledfaflriefs,  convinced,  by  cxpedeuce,  of  hisowiiu 


8o  The  Object  of  a  Christian'' $  Desire 

weaknefs,  he  hath  no  other  refuge  but  in  God.  And  what 
courage  does  he  derive  from  the  fulnefs  of  divine  perfecti- 
on, the  greatnefs  of  divine  power  and  the  faithfulnefs  of 
the  divine  promife  ?  "  My  grace  fliall  be  fufficient  for 
**  thee,  and  my  flrength  fliall  be  niade  perfeft  in  weak- 
"  nefs."  He  then  fays,  with  the  Pfahnift,  Pfal.  Ixxi.  i6. 
*'  I  will  go  in  the  llrength  of  the  Lord  God  :  I  will  make 
"  mention  of  thy  righteoufhefs,  even  of  thine  only," 

II.  I  proceed  now,  in  the  laft  place,  to  make  fome 
praftical  improvement  of  Vvdiat  hath  been  faid.  And,  ill. 
Let  us  admire  the  divine  condefcenfion,  in  admitting  his 
faints  to  a  difcovery  of  his  glory.  Solomon  fays,  with 
very  great  propriety,  in  the  language  of  aftonifliment  :. 
*'  But  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  on  the  earth "'" 
The  fame  ought  to  be,  nay,  the  fame  certainly  are,  the 
fentiments  of  every  real  believer.  But  let  us  remember 
what  has  been  hinted  at  above,  that  our  accefs  to  God, 
and  our  communion  with  him,  is,  and  only  can  be, 
through  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  in  whom  we 
have  accefs,  by  faith,  unto  God. 

2dly,  Let  me  befeech  you  to  try  yourfelves,  whether 
this  ever  hath  been  your  attainment,  and  vdiether  it  is 
your  fmcere  defire  ?  Do  you  know,  in  any  meafure,  what 
it  is  to  fee  the  glory  of  the  true  God  ?  Hath  he  appeared 
before  you  in  terrible  majefty  ?  Have  your  very  fouls 
been  made  to  bow  down  before  him,  and  to  give  him  the 
glory  that  is  juilly  due  to  his  name  ?  Plave  you  feen  the 
glory  of  a  reconciled  God  ?  Have  you  chofen  him,  in 
Chrifl-,  as  your  portion  ?  Have  you  devoted  yourfelves, 
without  referve,  to  his  difpofal  ?  Again,  have  you  feen 
the  glory  of  an  all-fufficient  God  ?  Surely  I  fpeak  to  ma- 
ny Vv^ho  have  feen  the  vanity  of  the  creature.  Probably 
you  have  tafted  a  little  of  the  fufferings  of  a  fmful  flate. 
"Vvliere  did  you  feek  your  confolation  ?  where  do  you  find 
your  fupport  ?  Have  you  learned  the  holy  and  happy  art 
of  pouring  out  your  fouls  to  God  ?  Have  you  felt  the 
fweetnefs  of  it  I  And  have  you  faid,  with  the  Pfalmill", 
*'  Return  unto  thy  reft,  O  my  foul !  for  the  Lord  hath 
*'  dealt  bountifully  with  tliee  ?"    Is  it  your  earneit  defire 


in  Religious  fVorship.  8i 

to  fee  the  glory  of  God  ?  Can  you  fay  with  the  Pfalmift, 
Pfal.  Ixiii.  I,  2.  "  O  God  !  thou  art  my  God,  early  will 
*'■  I  feek  thee  :  my  foul  thirlleth  for  thee  ;  my  flefli  longeth 
'*  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirlly  land  where  no  water  is,  to 
"  fee  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  fo  as  I  have  feen  thee  in 
"  the  fanftuary." 

3dly,  I  will  now  proceed  to  exhort  you,  in  the  moft 
earnefl  manner,  to  diligence  in  feeking  after  real  com- 
munion with  God  in  his  inllituted  worfliip.  How  highly 
are  we  favored  with  light  and  liberty  ?  how  little  are  many 
fenfible  of  their  privileges  ?  1  have  often,  on  fuch  occa- 
fions,  put  you  in  mind  of  the  fatal  cfFedls  of  a  heartlefs, 
cuilomary,  formal  worfliip  :  it  is  pro\oking  to  God,  per- 
nicious to  others,  hardening  to  the  heart,  and  ruining  to 
the  foul.  Were  but  afociety  of  thofe  Proteilants  abroad, 
who  are  lying  under  perfecution,  to  enjoy  the  feafon 
which  we  now  enjoy,  what  an  edge  would  be  upon  their 
fpirits  ?  what  a  fenfe  of  gratitude  in  their  hearts  ?  what 
fire  and  zeal  in  their  affections  ?  Strange,  indeed,  that 
public  profperity  fliould  be  fo  flupifying,  and  the  approach 
of  eternity  to  every  individual  fliould  not  be  awakening, 
while  the  young  and  fli  ong  are  hurried  off  the  ftage,  while 
every  day  is  bringing  us  nearer  to  our  lall,  while  every 
ordinance  is  adding  to  our  charge,  that  we  fliould  not  de- 
fire  to  fee  the  glory  of  God  in  his  fanftuary  here,  that  it 
may  be  the  earnefl  of  our  future  inheritance,  and  prepare 
us  for  his  immediate  prefence  hereafter. 

Suffer  me  to  fpcak  a  few  words  to  thofe  that  are  young. 
God  is  my  witnefs,  that  their  welfare  is  at  my  heart.  Per- 
haps you  will  think,  what  hath  been  faid  hardly  applicable 
to  you.  The  defire  of  Mofes,  the  man  of  God,  intimate 
communion  and  fellowfliip  with  God,  the  attainment  of 
ripe  and  experienced  Chriflians,  all  this  you  will  fav,  is 
unfuitable  to  me :  nay,  perhaps,  by  a  baftard  humility, 
you  will  fay,  to  expert  it,  would  be  prefumption  in  me. 
But  you  are  greatly  deceived  :  diere  are  none  who  have 
more  gracious  invitations  to  come  unto  God  than  young 
fumers :  there  are  none  who  have  greater  reafon  to  ex- 
pert nearnefs  to  God  than  young  faints.  Do  you  not 
read,  that  God  revealed  himfelf  to  Samuel,  the  child,  when 


S2  TJoe  Object  of  a  Christian's  Desire 

he  negle(Sled  Eli,  the  old  prophet  ?  Befides,  I  would  re~ 
commend  earnellnefs  and  afTeclion  to  you ;  not  only  lor 
your  greater  profit,  but  to  prevent  your  apoftafy.  A  little 
religion  is  very  hard  to  hold  ;  it  is  like  a  lamp  which  is 
hardly  lighted,  which  the  leail  breath  of  wind  will  extin- 
guifli,  or  a  tree  that  is  but  newly  planted,  which  a  rude 
thru  ft  will  overturn.  Unlefs  you  make  God,  and  his 
fervice,  your  hearty  choice,  you  will  not  carry  it  long  a& 
your  burden,  but  will  be  foon  tempted  to  throw  it  down. 
Be  concerned,  therefore,  I  befeech  you,  to  attend  on  hiii 
inllituted  worfliip,  not  in  a  carelefs  and  formal  manner, 
but  let  the  "  defire  of  your  fouls  be  to  liis  name,  and  the 
*■'  remembrance  of  him."  I  fhall  now  conclude  the  lub- 
jeft,  by  offering  to  thofe,  who  would  fee  the  glory  of  God,  a 
few  directions,  as  to  the  befl  preparation  for  fuch  a  difco- 
very.  ift,  If  you  would  fee  the  glory  of  God  in  his  fanc- 
tuary,  be  ferious  in  felf-examination,  and  in  the  renuncia- 
tion of  all  known  fm.  Holinefs  is  an  effential  attribute  of 
the  divine  nature  ;  and,  therefore,  he  mull  be  worfliipj^ed 
in  the  beauty  of  holinefs.  Thus  the  Pfalmift  refolved 
with  himfelf,  Pfal.  xxvi.  6.  *''  I  will  walh  mine  hands  in 
*•'■  innocence,  fo  will  I  compafs  thine  altar,  O  Lord !"  It 
is  true,  none,  who  have  any  knowledge  of  the  corruption 
of  their  own  hearts,  can  reafonably  hope  to  be  perfectly 
free  from  fm  in  the  prefent  life  :  yet  a  real  Chriilian  will 
have  it,  as  the  objeft  of  his  daily  ftudy,  to  "  cleanfc  himfelf 
'''  from  all  fdthinefs  of  the  flefli  and  Ipirit,  that  he  may  [)er- 
'"'•  fe6t  holinefs  in  the  fear  of  God."  k  was  fm  that  firil 
rendered  us  unfit  for  communion  with  God  ;  and,  there- 
fore, our  recovery  of  this  happy  privilege  will  be  but  in 
proportionto  our  fanftificatiorL  To  bring  finful  difpoli- 
tions,  indulged,  and  ftill  fuffered  in  the  heart,  to  the  wor- 
fliip  of  God,  and  to  expert  acceptance  inafuch  ftate,  is  im- 
plied blafphemy,  and  the  greateft  difhonor  we  can poilibly 
do  to  him. 

2.  In  order  to  fee  the  gloiy  of  God,  you  muft  be  cloUi- 
cd  with  humility.  No  difpofition  more  cffentially  neccffa- 
ry  to  a  Chriilian  at  all  times,  but  more  efpecially,  when 
he  makes  an  immediate  approach  to  God  in  his  worfliip  : 
Jfa.  Ixvi.  2.  "  For  all  thole  things  hath  mineliand  made  : 
i'  and  all  thofe  things  have  been,  faith  the  Lord :  but  to 


h  Religious  irorsbip*  S3 

^^  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  liim  that  is  poor,  nnd  of 
*■'  a  contrite  fpirit,  and  tremhleth  at  my  word."     And,  in- 
deed, how  can  we  confider  the  nature  of  that  Cod  whom 
we  worfliip,  and  our  own   fmfiil  and   miferable  eflate, 
without  being  llruck  with  a  fcnfe  of  tlic  necefllty  of  deep 
humility  and  fclf-abafcment  in  our  intcrcourfe  with  him  ? 
It  is  particularly  to  be  noticed,  that  felf-abafcmcnt,  and 
even  fclf-abhorrence,  is  the  immediate  effeft  of  a  fenfe 
o'i  the  divine  pretence.     See  to  this   purpofe,  Ifa.  vi.  i, 
— c.    "  In  the   year  that  King  Uzziah  died,  I  lliw  a!fo 
*'  the  Lord  fitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and 
'*  his  train  filled  the  temple  :  above  it  flood  the  feraphims  : 
*'  each  one  had  fix  wings  :  with  twain  he  covered  his  face, 
"  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did 
"  fly.     And  one  cried  unto  another,  and  faid  Holy,  h-oly, 
"  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hofis,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
"  glo'rv  !    And  the  polls  of  the  door  moved  at  the  voice 
"  of  liim  that  cried,  and  the  houfe  was  filled  with  fmoke, 
**  Then  faid  I,  Wo  is  me ;  for  I  am  undone,  becaufe  1 
"  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midll  of 
"  a  people  of  unclean  lips ;  for  mine  eyes  have  feen  the 
"  King,  the  Lord  of  hods !"     See  alfo  Job  xlii.  5,  6.  ''  I 
"  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;   but  now 
*'  mine  eye  feeth  thee  :   wherefore  I  abhor  myfelf,  and  rc- 
"  pent  in  dull  and  aflies."     Let  us  endeavor,  therefore, 
to  be  truly  and  inwardly  humble.     Let  us  remember  the 
grace  of  redemption,  what  guilty  criminals  we  were,  be- 
fore unnxerited  mercy  and  fovereign  love  found  out  a  v/ay 
for  our  recover}\     Happy  they,   where  humility  arifcs 
from  a  real  cxcrcifc  of  foul !    How  difficult,  how  rare  a 
thing,  is  true  humility  ?  How  eafy  is  it  to  ufl*  modefl  and 
fubmiffive  expreflions,  compared  to  attaining  a  ivvly  hum- 
ble and  mortified  fiate  of  mind  ?  I\Tay  almiglity  God,  by 
his  power,   make  us  humble ;  and  do  thou,  O  blefTed  Je- 
fus !  "  call  doM'n  every  high  thought,  and  lofty  imagina- 
*'  tion,  that  exalteth  itfclf  againfl:  thee." 

3.  In  the  lad  place;  if  you  defire  to  fee  the  ^\ory  of 
God,  be  fervent  in  preparator)'  prayer :  if  there  is  any 
blelfing  that  requires  importunity  and  wrefiling  vidi  God, 
furely  this  high  and  happy  privilege  of  communion  v.  ith 


84  'The  object  of  a  Christianas  desire ^  ^c. 

him  in  his  houfe  muft  be  of  that  kind.  And,  I  think, 
we  are  warranted  to  fay,  that,  in  the  divine  government, 
there  are  fome  bleffings  that  require  more  importunity 
than  others.  See  a  remarkable  paflage,  Mark  ix.  28,  29. 
"  And  when  he  was  com^  into  the  houfe,  his  difciples 
"  allied  him  privately,  why  could  not  wc  caft  him  out  ? 
"  and  he  faid  unto  them,  this  kind  can  come  forth  by  no- 
"  thing,  but  by  prayer  and  fading."  If  fome  devils  were 
fo  obftinate  in  their  poireffion,  that  the  fame  degree  of  faith 
and  fervor,  which  prevailed  over  others,  could  not  call 
them  out,  muft  not  the  fame  thing  hold,  from  analogy, 
with  refpeft  to  other  mercies  ?  And  how  juftly  are  indif- 
ferent, hike-warm  worihippers  denied  that  blefling  which 
they  fo  lightly  elleem  ?  Let  me  therefore,  earnellly,  be- 
feech  every  ferious  perfon  not  to  reftrain  prayer  before 
God,  but  to  repeat,  and  urge  the  plea,  that  he  would  be 
gracioufly  prefent  with  us ;  that  he  would  pour  down  his 
Spirit  from  on  high,  and  make  us  to  know,  to  our  hap- 
py experience,  "  that  a  day  in  his  courts  is  better  than  a 
"  thoufand ;  and  that  it  is  better  to  be  door-keepers  in  the 
"  houfe  of  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickednefs." 


^ho  trust  in  God.  69 

IV.  1  come  now,  in  the  lafl:  place,  to  make  fome  prad- 
tlcal  improvement  of  what  hatli  been  faid.  And,  firft, 
From  what  hath  been  faid,  you  may  fee  the  fmfulnefs  of 
dilb-Lifl.  Has  God  laid  fo  noble  a  foundation  for  our  de- 
penderlce  upon  him  ;  and  are  we  flill  fo  backward  to  the 
duty  ?  Is  not  diftrull  in  fome  meafure  a  denial  of  God 
himfelf  ?  A  denial  of  his  prefenoe,  a  denial  of  his  perfec- 
tions, and  dilbelief  of  his  promifes  ?  Let  us  all  be  cover- 
ed with  fkame,  when  we  confider  how  much  we  have  al- 
ready diflionored  him,  in  this  refpeft.  And  let  us  pray, 
that  he  may  enable  us  henceforward  not  only  to  lend  up 
oar  cries  to  heaven,  for  relief  in  dillrefs,  but  to  caft  our 
cares  and  burdens  upon  the  Lord,  in  the  faith  "  that  he 
"  will  fuflain  us,  that  he  will  never  fufFer  the  righteous  to 
"  be  moved." 

2.  You  may  fee  the  remedy  of  diftruft,  which  is,  to  be 
more  and  more  acquainted  with  the  name  of  God.  Con- 
template his  glory  in  the  vifible  creation  :  he  may  be  feeri 
not  only  in  his  fpreading  out  the  Heavens  like  a  curtain, 
but  in  the  formation  of  the  meaneft  creature  ;  in  a  pile  of 
grafs,  or  in  a  grain  of  fand.  While  you  are  daily  tailing 
his  gifts,  forget  not  to  acknowledge  his  bounty,  in  the  ri- 
ling fun,  the  growing  corn,  and  the  falling  rain.  Tliink 
of  his  faithful  word,  read  his  promifes,  lay  them  up  in 
your  memories,  write  them  in  your  hearts  ;  and  efpecially, 
the  exceeding  great  and  precious  promifes  of  the  everlaft- 
ing  gofpel,  which  may  be  yours,  which  you  are  intreatedl 
to  accept  as  yours,  and  if  they  be  not  yours,  you  fhall  ren- 
der an  account  to  himfelf  at  the  laft  day,  for  receiving 
them  in  vain. — ' — -Think  alfo  of  his  Providence,  all  yoa 
have  fecn,  and  all  you  have  felt,  of  prefervirig  goodnefs, 
and  of  redeeming  grace  ;  and  continue  to  cleave  to  him  as 
your  portion,  in  the  Pfalmifl's  words,  Pfalm  xlviii.  14. 
"  This  God  is  our  God,  for  ever  and  ever,  he  will  be  our 
"  guide  even  unto  death." 

3.  In  the  lafl:  place,  learn  from  hence,  what  is  the  fureft 
and  (liorteft,  and  indeed,  the  only  fafe  way  of  deliverance 
from  fufFering.  Flee  to  God  as  your  strong  to%ver^  by 
prayer  and  fupplicatlon  :  but  with  this,  endeavor  by  the 
renewed  exercife  of  faith  in  your  Redceuicr's  blood,  t# 

Vol.  n.  I 


*iQ  ^he  Security  of  tho^e^  ^c. 

afcertain  your  title  to  the  favor  of  God  ;  endeavor  by  i 
lledfaft  adherence  to  your  duty,  to  comn\it  your  ways  to 
God ;  and  fo  foon,  and  fo  far,  as  you  have  good  groiuid 
to  know  that  you  are  his  children,  you  ought  to  refifl  and 
banifh  eveiy  doubt  of  your  fecurity.  Rom.  viii.  28.  "And 
"  we  know,  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
*'  that  love  God  ;  to  them  who  are  the  called  according 
"  to  his  purpofe."  Verfe  32.  of  the  fame  chapter.  "He 
*'  that  fpared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for 
"  us  all,  how  Ih.dl  he  not  with  him  alfo  freely  give  us  all 
♦'  things*" 


[  71  3 


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00^0  (%oo  c%oc  0000  ooc\^  03CO  ocoo  MO*  cooo  ooc«  0009  ocoo  0000  oood  ocoo  ocso  <f  ro  ffooo  ooco  cooo  0000  0000  0000  coco  voca 


The  object  of   a  CHRISTIAN'S    DESIRE    lyt 
RELIGIOUS  WORSHIP, 


S   E  R  M   O  N. 


Exodus  xxxiii.  18. 
And  be  said y  I  beseech  thee,  shew  me  thy  Glory. 

THESE  are  the  words  of  an  Old  Tefiament  Saint ;  of 
that  Mofes,  who,  as  a  fervant,  was  faithful  over  all 
the  houfe  of  God,  True  piety  is  the  fame  in  fubflance  in 
all  ages,  and  points  at  one  thing  as  its  centre  and  its  refi, 
the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  God.  In  the  preceding 
verfes,  Mofes  had  been  employed  in  earneft  prayer  and 
iTiterceilion  for  the  people  of  Ifrael,  He  had  met  with 
fuccefs  and  acceptance  in  thefe  requefls  ;  for  it  is  faid,  in 
the  14th  verfe,  ''  My  prefence  iliall  go  with  thee,  and  I 
"  will  give  thee  reft."  And  in  the  17th,  ''  And  the  Lord 
"  faid  unto  Mofes,  I  will  do  this  thing  alfo  that  thou  haft 
"  fpoken  ;  for  thou  haft  found  grace  in  my  fight,  and  I 
*'  knovr  thee  by  name."  The  condefccnfion  of  a  gracious 
God,  though  is  fatisfies,  does  not  extinguifti  the  dtftres 
of  his  faints,  but  rather  makes  them  more  ardent  and  im- 
portunate ;  for  he  immediately  adds,  in  the  words  of  the 
text,  I  beseech  thee ^  shell'  me  thy  glory.  It  is  highly  pro- 
bable, from  what  follows,  that  this  defire  included  more 
than  was  proper  for  the  prefent  ftate  ;  yet  fuch  a  difcove- 
ry  as  was  poflible,  or  CQuld  be  ufeful  to  him,  is  gracioufly 


■ya  The  Object  of  a  Christianas  Desire 

promifed,  "  And  he  faid,  T  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pafs 
*'  before  thee  ;  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name  of  the  Lord 
•  before  thee ;  and  will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be 
"  gracious,  and  will  fhew  mercy  on  whom  I.  will  fhew 
*'  mercy." 

My  dear  brethren,  it  is  our  diftinguiihed  privilege,  that 
we  have  daily  unmolefted  accefs  to  the  houfe  and  ordinan- 
ces of  God.  We  ought  to  rejoice,  that  we  have  fo  many 
clear  and  exprefs  promifes  of  the  divine  prefence,  in  New 
Teflament  worfliip.  But  what  caufe  have  we  to  be 
aftiamed,  that  we  are  fo  exceeding  prone  lo  Hop  fhort  in 
the  threfhold,  to  content  ourfelves  with  the  mere  form,  in- 
ftead  of  earneflly  breathing  after  real,  inward,  and  fenfible 
communion  with  God  ?  J  have  therefore  chofen  this  fub- 
•je(5l,  in  the  view  of  that  fc^emn  ordinance.  The  Lord's 
Slipper^  where  we  have  a  fenfible  reprefentation  of  Chrill 
crucified,  the  great  mean  of  our  accefs  to  God,  that  we 
may  ferve  him  on  that  occafion  particularly,  and  the  re- 
maining part  of  our  lives  habitually,  in  fpirit  and  in  truth. 
And,  Oh,  that  we  may  have  daily  more  experience  of  the 
fweetnefs  and  benefit  of  his  fervice  on  earth  !  and  may 
daily  long  more  for  that  time,  when  we  fliall  ferve  him  in 
a  manner  infinitely  more  perfe6t  and  joyful  iu  his  temple 
above  ! 

In  difcourfing  on  this  fubje£t,  I  propofe,  in  dependence 
on  divine  ftrength, 

I,  To  explain  what  is  the  objeft  of  a  faint's  defire,  when 
he  faith,  in  the  words  of  Mofes,  /  beseech  thee^  shew  me 
thy  glory. 

II.  To  improve  the  fubjefl — particularly  by  pointing 
eut  what  is  the  moil  proper  preparation  for  fuch  a  difco- 
very, 

I.  Then,  I  am  to  explain  what  is  the  objeft  of  a  faint's 
defire,  when  he  faith,  in  the  words  of  Mofes,  /  beseech 
tbee^  shew  me  thy  glory.  It  is  very  probable,  from  the 
paflage  following  the  text,  which  I  have  read,  that  Mofes 
had  fome  regard  to  the  fenfible  appearance,  which,  in  that 
difpenfation,  did  often  accompany  or  notify  the  imme- 
4i.a.te  prefence  of  the  angel  of  the  covenaiit.    He  defired, 


in  Religious  JVorship.  73 

probably,  to  be  ftreiigthened  for  beholding  ftedfaftly  the 
Shechinach,  or  bright  and  luminous  cloud  which  ibme- 
times  appeared  over  the  tabernacle,  and,  by  its  glorious 
luftre,  tended  to  affect  the  mind  with  a  fenfe  of  the  power 
and  forereignty  of  the  Lord  Jehovah.  But  this,  llirely, 
was  not  all  ;  for  this,  in  itlelf,  was  only  a  fublidiary  mean 
which  ferved  to  carry  their  views  to  the  real  and  fpiritual 
glory  of  God.  To  the  lafl  therefore,  we  fhall  confine  our 
attention,  as  to  what  the  gofpel  particularly  opens  lo  us, 
and  what  believers  are  enabled,  by  faith,  to  apprehend. 

When  Chriftians,  then,  deiirc  to  fee  the  glory  of  God,  it 
feems  chiefly  to  imply  the  following  things  :  i.  They  de- 
fire  to  fee  tiie  glory  of  an  eternal  independent  God  ;  they 
defire  to  fee  the  only  living  and  true  God  in  his  own 
inherent  excellence  and  infinite  perfection.  God  is  the 
fource  and  fum  of  all  excellence ;  or,  in  the  language  of 
the  Pfalmill:,  *•'  the  perfeftion  of  beauty."  Every  thing 
noble  or  beautiful  in  th€  creature,  is  only  a  faint  ray  from 
the  fulnefs  of  the  Creator's  glory.  Therefore  he  is  the 
proper  objeft  of  the  highefl  elleem,  and  moft  profound  ve- 
neration, of  every  reafonable  creature.  The  vifion  and 
fruition  of  God  conftitute  the  employment  and  happinefs 
of  heaven  :  and  even  here,  while  they  are  in  preparation 
for  die  higher  houfe,  the  faints  defire  fuch  a  difcovery  of 
the  divine  glory  as  their  condition  will  admit  of,  and  take 
])leafure  in  contemplating  his  nature,  as  revealed  to  them 
both  in  his  word  and  in  his  works.  They  d\\ell  with 
adoring  wonder,  on  all  his  attributes,  which  are  boundlefs 
and  unfearchable  :  the  immenfity  of  his  being,  who  fills 
heaven  and  earth  with  his  prefence,  who  feelli  in  fccret, 
and  from  whom  the  thickeft  darknefs  cannot  cover  us  ; 
his  irrefiflible  power,  "  who  fpake,  and  it  was  done,  who 
"  commanded,  and  it  Hood  faft  ;" — v,'\\o  called  this  great 
univerfe  out  of  nothing  into  being,  "  who  doth  in  the  army 
*'  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  what- 
"  ever  feems  good  unto  him  :"  his  infinite  holinefs  and 
purity,  *'  with  whom  evil  cannot  dwell,  nor  fmners  fland 
"  in  his  prefence  ;  who  looketh  to  the  moon,  and  it 
♦'  fliineth  not,  to  the  flars,  and  they  are  not  pure  in  his 
"  fig^it  :**  his  infinite  wifdom,  "  who  worketh  all  things 


^4  The  Object  of  a  Christian'' s  Desire 

*^  according  to  his  will,  who  bringeth  the  counfel  of  the 
**  heathen  to  nought,  and  makes  the  devices  of  the  people 
^^  of  none  efFecl :''  his  boundlefs  goodnefs,  which  fills  the 
earth,  and  flow?  in  plenteous  ftreams  to  all  the  creatures 
©f  his  power. 

But,  perhaps,  fome  are  faying,  what  is  there  extraordi-^ 
naiy  or  peculiar  in  all  this?  is  it  not  clearly  revealed  in 
the  word  of  God  ?  can  any  Chriflian  be  ignorant  of  it  ? 
If  IVlofes,  in  that  early  difpenfation,  defired  a  difcovery  of 
the  divine  perfe<5lions,  nothing  of  that  kind  is  wanting  to 
US,  who,  fince  the  fulnefs  of  time,  have  fo  complete  a  reve- 
lation in  the  Nev/  Tellament,  But,  my  brethren,  I  muil 
beg  of  yo"^  to  obfervc  thefe  two  things  : 

I,  That  there  is  in  the  fulnefs  of  the  Godhead  an  in, 
Unite  and  endlefs  variety  even  for  the  employment  of  our 
int<ille61;ual  powers.  Well  might  Zophar,  in  the  hook  of 
Job,  fay,  Job  xi,  7,  8,  9.  '*  Canft  thou,  by  fearching,  find 
*^  ©Ut  God  I  canft  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfec- 
^^  tion?  It  is  as  high  as  heaven,  what  canft  thou  do  ? 
^^  deeper  than  hell,  what  canft  thou  know  ?  the  meafure 
*'•  thereof  i§  longer  than  the  earth,  and  broader  than  the 

3»  That  the  real  and  proper  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
Ood  is  by  inward  and  Ipiritual  illumination.  The  holy 
Scriptures  themfelves,  however  clear  a  difcovery  they  con- 
tain of  the  nature  of  God,  are  no  better  than  a  lealed  book 
to  many  even  of  the  gxeateft  comprehenfion  of  mind.  It 
is  one  thing  to  think,  and  fpeak,  andreafon  on  the  perfec- 
tions of  God,  as  an  objedl  of  feience,  and  another  to  glori- 
fv  him  as  God,  or  to  have  a  deep  and  awful  imprefiion  of 
Kim  upon  our  hearts.  Real  believers  will  know  this  by 
experience,  A  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  is  not  to 
inform  them  of  a  truth  which  they  never  heard  before,  but 
to  t^ive  lively  penetrating  views  of  the  meaninpr  and  im- 
portance of  thofe  truths  of  which  they  had,  perhaps,  heard 
andfpoken  times  without  number,  Sometinies  one  word 
fpoken  of  the  Eternal,  the  Almighty,  the  Holy  One,  will 
\yo,  caiTicd  home  upon  the  confcience  and  heart  with  fuch 
irreftftible  force,  as  to  fliew  them  more  of  God  than  ever 
they  Ii&.d  feen  before,  Q  what  a  diiFerence  is  there  betv/een 


in  Retigioits  lf^orship>.  ^| 

the  way  in  which  we  ufe  the  fame  words  in  prayer  6t 
praife,  at  one  time,  and  at  another !  None  but  downright 
atheills  will  denv  the  omnifcience  and  omniprelence  ol" 
Gocl ;  but  how  far  is  this  p;cneral  acknowledgment  front 
that  overwhelming  fenfe  of  his  prefence  which  bclievefa 
have  fometimes  in  his  worfliip  in  public  or  in  feci-et; 
What  a  new  fenfe  of  God's  prefence  had  Jacob  at  Betliel^ 
when  he  faid,  Gen.  xxviii.  i6,  17.  "  Surely  the  Lord  is 
"  in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not :  and  he  was  afraid* 
*'  and  faid,  how  dreadful  is  this  place  ?  this  is  none  othel* 
*'  but  the  houfe  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven  !** 
What  a  fenfe  of  God's  prefence  had  Hagar,  Gen;  xvi.  i  j-. 
when  "  fhe  called  the  name  of  the  Lord  that  fpake  Untd 
"  her,  thou,  God)  feefl  me  j  for.  Hie  faid,  have  1  alfo  here 
*'  looked  after  him  that  feeth  me  ?'*  or  Job  when  he  ex- 
preifes  himfclf  thus.  Job  xlii.  5,  6*  "  I  have  heard  of  thee* 
''  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  but  now  mine  eye  feeth  thee: 
"  Wherefore  I  abhor  myfelf,  and  repent  in  dull  and  allies?'* 

I  fhall  only  further  obferve,  that  it  plainly  appears  that 
Ihis  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  belongs  only  to  his  owrl 
people.  Wicked  men  are  faid,  in  fcripture,  to  be  fuch  aS 
know  not  God.  They  are  alfo  defcribed  a  little  different- 
ly, as  not  having  God  in  all  their  thoughts ;  not  but  that 
wicked  men  may  have  a  general  or  cuftomary  belief,  irt 
the  being  and  perfe6lions  of  God,  but  becatife  they  hive 
not  that  intimate  fenfe  of  his  prefence,  that  difcovery  of 
the  glory  and  amiablenefs  of  his  perfeftions,  which  is  pe- 
culiar to  his  own  children.  Even  the  natural  perfections 
of  God,  his  power  and  wifdom,  cannot  be  beheld  with  fucli 
veneration  by  any,  as  by  thofe  who  are  fenfible  of  their 
obligations  to  fcrve  him.  But  above  all,  the  glory  of  his 
infinite  holinefs  and  juftice  can  never  be  feen,  but  by  thofc 
whodefu'e  to  fubniit  to  it;  nor  the  glory  of  liis  infinite 
mercy,  but  by  tliofe  who  fee  themfclves  indebted  to  it» 
This  leads  me  to  obferv^e, 

2.  That  the  believer  defires  to  fee  the  glory  of  a  graci- 
ous and  reconciled  God,  not  only  infinitely  glorious  in 
himfelf,  but  infinitely  merciful  to  him.  This  view  oug^.t 
never  to  be  feparated  from  tlie  former.  Take  away  the 
<iivine  mercy,  and  the  luflrc  of  his  other  perfedions  is  t©» 


5^6  The  Object  of  a  Christiaii's  Desire 

ftrong  for  us  to  behold.  The  power,  wifdom,  holinefs  and 
juftice  of  God,  feparated  from  his  mercy,  fpeak  nothing  but . 
unmixed  terror  to  the  guilty.  It  is  very  probable,  that  there 
was  fomething  in  the  defire  of  Mofes,  in  the  text,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  view,  ignorant  and  unadvifed  ;  but  God 
granted  his  requeft  only  in  fuch  a  way  as  could  be  ufeful  to 
him.  When  he  fays,  I  beseech  thee  she%v  me  thy  glory ^ 
the  anfwer  is  in  the  following  terms,  "  I  will  make  all  my 
"  goodnefs  pafs  before  thee  ;  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name 
*'  of  the  Lord  before  thee.  And  I  will  be  gracious  to 
*'  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will  fhew  mercy  on  whom 
"  I  will  fliew  mercy."  And  again,  it  is  faid  in  the  fol- 
lowing chapter,  6,  7,  verfes.  *'  And  the  Lord  paiTed  by 
*'  before  him,  and  proclaimed,  the  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
*'  merciful  and  graeious,  long-fuffering  and  abundant  in 
-"  goodnefs  and  truth.  Keeping  mercy  for  thoufands, 
*'  forgiving  iniquity,  and  tranfgreffion,  and  fm  :  and  that 
"  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,  vifiting  the  iniquity  of 
"  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  and  upon  the  childrens 
"  children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation." 

We  may  alfo  fee,  that  in  the  whole  difpenfation  of  di- 
vine grace  to  men,  God  is  reprefented  as  coming  under  a 
peculiar  relation  to  them  ;  and  they  are  called  not  only  to 
ferve  him  as  God,  but  to  truft  in  him  as  their  God.  Eve- 
ry hearer  muft  be  fenfible,  how  effential  this  is  to  a  be- 
liever's defire,  of  feeing  the  glory  of  God.  He  cannot 
confider  him  as  God  over-all,  without,  at  the  fame  time, 
remembering,  that  he  is  one  with  whom  he  hath  to  do. 
There  is  alfo  a  neceffity  here  peculiar  to  ourfelves.  The 
holy  angels  confider  him  as  their  Maker  and  their  happi- 
nefs  :  but  the  children  of  Adam  muft  confider,  not  only 
his  goodnefs  to  the  innocent,  but  his  mercy  to  the  guilty. 
This  glory  of  God  Ihines  brightly,  and  fliines  only  in  the 
face  of  Jefus  Chrift.  God,  we  are  told,  "  dwelleth  in  light 
*'  which  no  man  can  approach  unto.  No  man  hath  feen 
"  God  at  any  time  ;  but  tjie  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
**  he  hath  declared  him."  In  this  wonderful  difpenfation, 
indeed,  all  the  perfeftions  of  God  are  found  united ;  but 
above  all,  "  Grace  and  mercy  fhine  and  .rei^n  through 
"  righteoufnefs,  by  Jefus  Chrill  our  Lord. 


[  8!  ] 


fe  ooM  •••»  —o»  eoon  com  oooo  moo  mm  »oo  cooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  oee»  ooso  cooo  oooc  oooo  eeoo  ooeo  0o«o  boao  oooo  < 
»  oooo  ooM  OOOO  ?ooo  frooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  ooo«  oooo  ocoo  eooo  oooo  oooo  eooo  cooo  oooo  QOoo  cooo  oooo  oooo  0CO3  oooo  I 


The  Glory   of  CHRIST  in  his  HUMILIATION. 

A 

SERMON 


Ifaiah  Ixiii.  i.  fccond  claufe. 

Tbis  that  is  glorious  in  bis  apparel^  travelling  in  the 

greatness  of  his  strength? 

MY  brethren,  all  the  works  of  God  are  gi-eat  and 
marvellous,  worthy  of  the  attention  and  admira- 
tion of  his  rational  creatures.  The_  contemplation  of  what 
is  now  revealed  of  him,  is  the  nobleft  employment  of 
which  we  are  capable  in  this  world :  and  the  more  clear 
and  enlarged  contemplation  of  him  lliall  be  our  employ- 
ment and  happinefs  in  the  world  above.  But  of  all  the 
works  of  God,  there  is  none  in  which  his  perfections  arc 
fo  fignally  difplayed,  as  in  the  redemption  of  an  eledt 
world  through  Jefus  Chrift.  All  other  views  of  his  glory 
are  faint  and  fading  in  comparifon  of  this.  However 
much  we  are  called  to  adore  the  power  and  wifdom  of 
Creation,  or  the  goodnefs  and  bounty  of  Providence,  our 
praifes  are  extremely  defective,  if  we  omit  that  new  fong 
which  he  hath  put  into  our  mouths,  even  praife  to  our  God 
for  his  unfpeakable  gift. 

Redeeming  love,  my  brethren,  is  the  immediate  objeflof 
our  attention  in  the  holy  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  fupper. 
Here  is  a  fymbolical  reprefentation  of  it,  that  faidi  m.ay 
be  llrengthened  by  the  aid  of  fenie.  I  hope,  therefore, 
it  will  not  be  improper,  by  way  of  preparation  for  it, 
to  take  a  view  of  the  glory  of  our  Redeemer's  character, 
whofe  fufFerings  we  are  now  to  commemorate.     As  fal- 

VoL.  n.  L 


86  ^be  Glory  of  Christ 

vatlon  is  an  agreeable  found,  fo  the  name  of  a  SaviotTf 
is  a  delightful  name  to  every  believer.  J  may  therefore 
farely  prefume  upon  the  atiention  of  all  fuch  at  leall,  while 
I  endeavor  to  fct  him  before  you,  as  he  is  reprefented  in 
the  ftrong  em  J  forcible  language  of  the  text,  Who  is  this  that 
Cometh  from  Edom^  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrab  ? 
this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel^  travelling  in  the  great- 
ness of  his  strength  ?  Suc!i  a  theme  will  be  the  moft  pro- 
per introduction  to  the  work  of  this  day ;  that,  as  we  are 
to  commemorate  Chrifl's  fufferings  as  an  extraordinary 
event,  he  is  here  fpoken  of,  and  his  appearance  inquired 
into,  in  vv'crds  of  aftoniiliment  and  admiration:  Who  is 
this  that  cometh  from  Edom^  with  dyed  garments  from 
Bozrah  !  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel^  tra'^oelling 
in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  !  I  fliall  not  fpend  time 
in  affi^ning  the  reafons  v/hy  interpreters  generally  apply 
thefe  words  to  Chrift,  but  only  obferve,  that,  on  this  fup- 
pofiiion,  they  contain  a  mixed  reprefentation  of  glory  and 
iliffering,  of  ftrength  ar.d  abafement,  wliich  is  the  very 
fubilance  and  meaning  of  a  Saviour  on  the  crofs. 

Agreeably  to  this,  the  fmgle  point  I  have  in  view,  in 
the  prefent  difcourfe,  is,  through  Divine  alliftance,  to  point 
out  to  you,  in  what  rcfpeds  the  glory  of  our  Redeemer 
was  apparent  even  in  his  fufferings,  and  flione  through 
even  the  dark  cloud  that  covered  him  in  his  humiliation, 
or  in  the  language  of  the  text,  how  he  might  be  faid,  ta 
travel  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  :  and  then  I  Ihall 
make  Ibme  practical  improvement  of  what  may  be  faid. 

I.  I  am  to  point  out  to  you,  in  what  refpefts  the  glory 
of  our  Redeemer  was  apparent  even  in  his  fufferings,  and 
ilione  through  even  the  dark  cloud  that  covered  him  in  his 
humiliation.  As  the  love  of  (}od  to  man,  in  providing 
redempiion  for  him,  was  inconceivable,  fo  the  mean  which 
he  employed,  in  accom.plifiiing  this  great  work,  was 
equally  allonifliing.  That  his  eternal  and  well-beloved 
£on  Ihould  veil  his  divine  glory,  clothe  himfelf  with  hu- 
man fjefli,  fubjedt  himfelf  to  a  life  of  pain  and  fuffering, 
and  at  lall  make  his  foul  an  offering  for  fin  upon  a  crofs. 
This,  as  it  v/as  not  after  the  manner  of  men,  nor  bore 


///  bis  HumiUatlon.  87 

npon  it  any  of  the  marks  of  human  wiiclom,  as  it  was  de- 
fi^ned  and  doth  tend,  to  abale  the  pride  of  nian,  and  exalt 
the  grace  of  God  ;  To  it  is  with  difficulty  that  man  can  be 
brought  to  an  approbation  of  it.  ''  The  crofs  of  Chrifc 
"  was  to  the  Jews  a  ilumbling-block,  and  to  the  Greeks 
"  fooliflinefs."  It  is  therefore  propjr,  that  when  we  are 
to  commemorate  the  incarnation  and  deatli  of  our  Re- 
deemer, we  fliouid  attend  to  thefe  evidences  of  his  diviiie 
glory  that  ilill  a;3peared  even  in  his  lowed  abafement.  By 
this  means,  wiide  v/e  grieve  tor  the  iiifierines  that  \n\ 
brought  upon  hiin,  we  may  ilill  triuiuph  in  his  power  ;  for 
he  is  glorious  even  in  his  red  apparel,  and  travels  in  tiie 
grearnefs  ol  his  llrengtlu 

I  mull:  here  obferve,  that  I  do  not  mainly  intend,  ia 
difcoui-fiiig  on  this  fabje£l,  to  eftablifli  the  truth  of  our 
Saviour's  divine  miffion,  againft  thofc  who  deny  it  on  the 
above  or  any  other  account :  this  would  be  too  cold  and 
abftradted  an  argument  for  our  prcfent  purpofe.  What 
I  propofe,  is  chiefly  and  direftly,  deugned  for  heij^htening 
the  devotion,  for  quickening  the  love,  and  increafiag  the 
faith  and  comfort  of  believers.  However,  at  the  llinje 
time,  confidering  the  humiliation -of  Ciirill,  in  •^he  light  of 
an  objection  againii  his  divine  comrniffion,  from  th.e  fug- 
geliions  of  human  wifdora,  what  Ivjall  be  laid  may  alfo  be 
confidered  as  an  anfwer  to  this  objetlion,  and  ferv'ing  to 
remove  the  offence  of  tlie  crofs. 

I.  Upon  this  fubje£t,  tiiereforc,  obferve,  firfi:,  the  glory 
of  our  Redeemer,  in  his  fufierings,  appears  from  his  reac'y 
and  chearful  undertaking  of  the  v.'ork  of  our  redemp'.io::. 
'J'here  can  be  little  honor  to  any  man  in  fubr.iitting  td 
what  he  cannot  avoid,  or  doing  Vv'hat  he  dare  not  refufe  ;" 
buttiie  humiliation  of  Chrill  was  perfc611y  voluntary,  as 
DO  conftraint  could  be  put  upon  him.  Therefore  his  ori- 
ginal dignity  and  greatnefs,  is  not  only,  if  I  n^ay  fj^akjo, 
preferved  unhurt,  but  improved  and  heightened  by  the 
grace  of  infinite  condefcenHon.  I'hir,  circnnilianee  of 
(ihriR's  readinels  to  undertalie  the  work  of  o.ur  redemjj- 
tion,  is  often  taken  notice  of  in  feripture.  Pfal.  xl.  6,  7,  8. 
"  Sacrifice  and  ofTering  thou  didll  not  defire,  mine  er:.-3 
'Miaft  thou  opened;  burnt- cf^ering  uv»d  fm-x^^'ving  hal; 


88  The  Glory  of  Christ 

"  thou  not  required.  Then  faid  I,  Lo  I  come ;  in  the 
*'  volume  of  thy  book  it  is  written  of  me  :  I  delight  to  do 
♦'  thy  will,  O  my  God  !- — '*  It  is  certain,  that  redemption 
could  not  be  the  work  of  a  creature  ;  and  it  is  alfo  proba- 
ble, that  no  created  being  would  have  been  willing  to  effay 
it.  Nay,  it  is  thought  by  many  to  be  the  import  of  the 
remarkable  paflage  juft  now  cited,  which  is  applied  by  the 
apofile  Paul  to  our  Saviour,  that  in  the  councils  of  heaven 
it  was  actually  propofed  to  thofe  glorious  fpirits  that  fur- 
round  the  throne  of  God,  and  their  ftj"ength  and  inclina- 
tion both  were  found  infufficient.  Neither  is  there  any 
thing  improbable  in  the  fuppofition,  that  God  might  difco- 
ver  to  them  his  purpole  of  mercy,  upon  a  proper  media- 
ator  interpofmg,  and  that  none  was  found  willing  to  fub- 
je6l  himfelf  to  divine  wrath,  incurred  by  rebellious  man. 
If  fo,  then  it  is  not  only  in  one  fenfe,  but  in  all  fenfes  true, 
what  Chrifl  is  reprefented  as  faying  in  the  5th  verfe  of  the ~ 
chapter  where  my  text  lies,  "  And  I  looked,  and  there 
"  w^as  none  to  help ;  and  I  wondered  that  there  was  none  to 
"  uphold  ;  therefore  mine  own  arm  brought  falvation  unto 
"  me,  and  my  fury  it  upheld  me.''  This  interpretation 
may  be  confirmed  by  fomething  fimilar  to  it,  recorded, 
John,  vi.  5,  6.  "  When  Jefus  then  lift  up  his  eyes,  and 
"  faw  a  great  company  come  unto  him,  he  faith  unto  Phi- 
"  lip,  Whence  fliall  we  buy  bread  that  thefe  may  eat  ? 
"  And  this  he  faid  to  prove  him  ;  for  he  himfelf  knew 
"  what  he  would  do."  There  ts  another  pafiage  which 
gives  us  nearly  the  fame  idea,  viz.  of  Chrift's  being  only 
capable  of  taking  the  charge  of  the  redeemed  and  their  in- 
terells  in  providence.  Rev.  v.  2.  3,  4,5.  "And  I  faw  a 
*'  ftrong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  loud  voice,  Who  is 
"  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loofe  the  feals  thereof .'' 
*'  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the 
"  eartli,  was  able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  there- 
"  en.  And  I  wept  much  becaufe  no  man  was  found  wor- 
*'  thy  to  open,  and  to  read  the  book,  neither  to  look  there- 
"  on.  And  one  of  the  elders  faith  unto  me.  Weep  not ; 
"  behold  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the  root  of  David, 
"  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loofe  the  feven 
ff  feals  thereof."     Plow  glorious  then  was 'the  compaffion 


in  his  Humiliation,  89 

of  our  Redeemer,  who  fo  willingly  and  chearfully  fubjeft- 
cd  himfelf  to  that  abafcment  and  fiiftering,  to  which  none 
could  conflrain  him  ?  Thus  he  fays  to  himfelf,  John  x. 
17,  1 8.  *'  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  becaufe  I 
"  lay  down  my  life,  that  I  might  take  it  again.  No  man 
"  taketh  it  from  me,  but  I  lay  it  down  ot  myfelf :  I  have 
"  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again. 
"  This  commandment  have  I  received  of  my  Father." 
He  is  not  reprefented  as  merely  confenting,  becaufe  none 
elfe  could  or  would  perform  the  work,  and  fo  having  it  as 
it  were  devolved  upon  him  by  necelfity  ;  not  as  yielding 
with  reluftance,  and  overcome  by  great  earneftnels  and 
importunity,  but  faying  with  readincfs  and  chearfulnefs, 
"  Lo,  I  come  ;  in  the  volume  of  the  book,  it  is  written  of 
**  me.  I  delight  to  do  thy  v/ill,  O  my  God  ;  yea  diy  law 
"  is  within  my  heart." 

There  is  one  circumflance  which  deferves  particular 
notice,  when  we  are  confidering  the  dignity  of  our  Re- 
deemer's undertaking ;  that  he  did  well  and  thoroughly 
underftand  the  difficulty  of  it,  and  the  weight  of  that  wrath 
which  he  fubmitted  to  endure.  It  is  not  fuch  an  evidence 
ofgreatnefs  of  mind,  when  a  perfon  involves  himfelf  in 
difficulties,  and  expofes  himfelf  to  dangers,  if  he  only 
runs  an  uncertain  rifle  of  meeting  with  them,  or  has  but 
a  confufed  and  indilHn6l  apprehenfion  of  their  nature  ;  but 
it  difcovers  a  peculiar  fortitude  of  fpirit  to  have  a  clear  view 
of  fuffisrings,  and  yet  compofedly  and  fteadily  to  lubmit  to 
them  for  a  good  end.  So  true  is  this  maxim,  that  it  feems 
to  be  the  only  thing  that  renders  human  life  fupportable, 
that  all  future  fufferings  are  uncertain  even  in  the  event, 
and,  at  any  rate,  in  their  nature  but  imperfe6\ly  known. 
Now,  how  does  it  ferve  to  illullrate  the  glory  of  our  Re- 
deemer's undertaking,  that  he  had  a  clear  and  perfect  fore- 
knowledge of  every  event  that  was  to  bef  d  him  ?  He  knew 
the  number  and  malice  of  the  enemies  he  had  to  encoun- 
ter ;  and  the  bitternefs  of  that  cup,  the  dregs  of  vvhich  he 
was  to  drink  off:  Yet  Heady  to  his  purpofe,  and  confcious 
of  his  own  power,  he  went  out  to  the  combat  as  one  affured 
of  vidory.  As  he  began  fo  he  carried  on  his  work,  v/ith 
the  fame  undaunted  refolution ;     witnefs  what  he  fays, 


90  TJje  Glory  of  Christ 

Luke  xii.  50.  "  But  I  have  a  baptifm  to  be  baptized  with, 
*'  and  how  am  I  ftraitened  till  it  be  accomplifhed  !"  All 
this,  my  brethren,  is  further  confirmed,  by  fome  pafiages 
Avhich  are  recorded  toward  the  clofe  of  his  life,  when  he 
drew  near  to  the  concluding  fcenc  of  his  fufferine;s.  Matt. 
xvi.  2T.  "  From  that  time  forth  began  Jefus  to  fhew  unto 
*'  his  difciples,  how  that  he  mull  go  unto  Jerufalem,  and 
*'  fuffer  many  thin'^s  of  the  elders,  and  chief  priefts,  and, 
*'  Scribes,  and  be    killed,  and    be  raifed  again  the  third 

*'  day."  ' XX.  17,  18,  19.  '■'■  And  Jefiis  goini>;  up  to  Je- 

"  rufaiem,  took  the  twelve  difciples  apajt  in  the  way,  and 
*'  faid  Lino  t^em,  Eehokl  we  go  up  to  Jerufalem,  and  the 
*'  Son  or  man  (hall  be  betrayed  unto  the  chief  priefls,  and 
*'  unto  the  fcribes,  and  they  fliall  condemn  him  to  deadi. 
*'  And  fhcJl  deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles,  to  mock  and  to 
"  icoLuge,  and  t.o  crucify  him  :  and  the  third  day  he  fliall 
"  rife  again."  Lake  ix.  51.  "  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when 
"  the  time  v^'as  corne  that  he  fhould  be  received  up,  he 
*'  fcedfaftly  j'ct  his  face  to  go  to  Jerufalem."  To  thefe  I  fliall 
only  add,  Joiin  xviii.  11.  "Then  faid  Jefus  unto  Peter, 
"  Put  up  thy  fword  into  the  flieath :  the  cup  which  my 
*'  Father  hath  given  me,  Ihall  I  not  drink  it  ?"  Thus  did 
there  appear  a  glory  even  in  his  humiliation,  a  majefty 
even  in  his  fafiering ;  and  thus  did  he  come  forth  and  tra- 
vel in  die  greatnefs  of  his  llrength. 

In  the  fecond  place,  the  glory  of  our  Redeemer,  in  his 
humiliation,  appears  from  the  greatnefs  of  thofe  fufferings 
which  he  endured.  Though,  to  the  eye  of  {qu^q,  a  ftate 
cifufTering  is  apt  to  appear  contemptible ;  to  thofe  who 
juftly  view  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  there  will  be  found  far 
oreater  evidences  of  his  power.  iV  weak  perfon  is  crufli- 
ed  by  a  fmall  v/eight ;  but  he  who  is  able  to  endure  un- 
common fafferings,  fhovvs  himfelf  to  be  polfeired  of  un- 
common llrength.  Now,  our  blefled  Lord  and  Saviour 
did,  in  his  life,  in  this  world,  endure  the  greateft  and 
moft  dreadful  fufferings.  His  whole  life  was  one  conti- 
nued track  of  the  heaviefl  fufferings  of  which  human  na- 
ture is  capable.  Ifa.  liii.  3.  "He  isdefpifed  and  rejeded 
*' of  nun,  a  man  of  fbrrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief: 
*'  ^iid  we  hid,  as  it  were,  our  faces  from  hini  j  he  was  de- 


in  his  Humiliation.  gt 

**  fpifed,  and  we  efleemed  him  not !"  This,  my  brethren, 
is  a  known  fubjedl,  yet  it  is  the  fubjedl  which  we  ought, 
by  faith,  to  dwell  upon  this  day  ;  and,  indeed,  the  bene- 
fit and  comfort  of  believers  docs  not  depend  on  thint^s  new 
and  engaging  to  the  fancy,  but  on  the  Spirit  of  God  fetting 
home  known  truths  with  force  and  efficacy  on  the  heart. 
Let  me  therefore  be?  your  attention  to  two  or  three  obvi- 
ous remarks  on  the  fufferings  of  Chrift.  i.  His  afflidlions 
began  early,  with  his  firft:  entrance  into  the  world.  No 
fooncrdid  the  man  Chriil  Jefus  fee  the  light  of  this  world, 
but  prefently  did  affli<3:ion  falute  him.  Immediately  after 
his  contemptible  birth,  did  Herod,  that  bloody  tyranf, 
feekto  deftroy  him  ;  fo  that  we  may  allude  to  that  exprci- 
fion,  Rev.  xii.  4.  "  — And  the  dragon  flood  before  the 
"  woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  to  devour  her 
"  child  as  foon  as  it  was  born.'* 

2.  His  affliiStions  were  conflant  and  perpetual,  widiout 
interruption.  It  is  recorded,  not  only  by  Chriflians,  but 
even  by  heathens,  v.'^hohad  heard  of  his  life,  that  he  was 
never  obferved  to  laugh,  but  frequently  feen  weeping  ;  fo 
that  he  well  accompliflied  that  prophefy,  "  A  man  of  for- 
*'  rows,  and  acquainted  with  grief."  It  is  probable,  from 
feveral  paffages  in  the  prophetical  writings,  that  he  was 
of  a  very  tender  and  fenfible  frame  ;  and  therefore  his  af- 
fliftions  had  a  great  and  powerful  effect  upon  him.  They 
fo  deeply  touched  him,  that  his  body  was  wafted,  and  his 
fb-ength  melted  and  decayed,  which  is  the  ufual  effe(5l  of 
lafling  and  continued  forrow.  Ifa.  lii.  14.  "  As  many 
*'  were  aftonied  at  thee  ;  his  vifage  was  fo  marred  more 
"  than  any  man,  and  his  form  more  than  the  fons  of  men.'* 
Pfa!.  xxii.  14,  15.  "  I  am  poured  out  like  water,  and  all 
"  my  bones  are  out  of  joint:  my  heart  is  like  wax,  it  is 
**  melted  in  the  midft  of  my  bowels  :  my  llrength  is  dried 
"  up  like  a  potiherd  ;  and  my  tongue  cleaveth  to  my 
"  jaws  :  and  thou  haft  brought  me  into  the  duft  of  death." 
So  that  we  may  alfo  apply  to  him  what  Job  fa}  s  of  himfclf, 
Jobxvi.  8.  "  And  thou  haft  filled  me  with  wrinkles,  which 
*'  is  a  witnefs  againft  me  :  and  my  l,cannefs  rifinj  up  in 
*'  me,  beareth  witnefs  to  my  face. 


9  2  The  Glory  of  Christ 

3.  His  afHi£lions  were  ofthefevereft  kind.  This  I 
might  Ihow  you,  at  large,  from  the  hiftory,  by  particular- 
izing them  all :  I  only  mention  four,  poverty,  reproach, 
temptation,  and  fympathy  with  others.  He  was  fo  poor, 
as  to  depend  upon  the  charity  of  others  for  his  fubftance  ; 
and  could  fay,  Luke  ix.  58.  "  Foxes  have  holes,  and  birds 
"  of  the  air  have  nefts,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where 

*'  to  lay   his  head." Reproach  was  thrown  upon  him 

without  meafure,  and  of  the  worft  kind.  He  was  called 
a  glutton  and  a  wine-bibber,  a  deceiver,  a  blafphemer,  a 
Samaritan,  and  one  that  had  a  devil.  Now,  my  brethren, 
all  that  know  any  thing  of  human  nature,  know  that  re- 
proach and  contempt  are  perhaps  the  hardeft  to  bear  of  any 
fufferings  to  which  v/e  are  expofed  ;  and  the  authors  of 
thefe  calumnies  were  fuch  whofe  circumftances  rendered 
them  moft  fharp  and  fevere  ;  for  they  were  the  Scribes  and 
Pharifees,  or  the  miniflers  of  thofe  times,  who  ferved  in 
the  temple,  as  the  whole  hiftory  fhows,  and  his  own  na- 
tural relations,  as  appears  from  Markiii.  21.  John  vii.  3, 
4,  5. — Another  remarkable  affliftion  our  Lord  endured, 
was  temptation,  and  that  of  the  grolTeft  kind,  as  is  plain 
from  Matth.  iv.  3, — 11.  We  are  told,  "  he  was  in  all 
"  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  fin."  What 
was  the  precife  nature  and  influence  of  fuch  temptations 
on  him,  we  cannot  know  ;  only  it  deferves  notice  on  this 
particular,  that  whereas  fome  of  the  other  afflidlions  he 
endured,  were  fuch  as  his  perfed;  purity  could  not  but 
render  more  tolerable  than  otherwife  they  would  have 
been,  this  on  the  other  hand,  was  fuch,  that  by  how 
much  the  more  pure  and  holy  he  was,  fo  much  the  more 
diftrefs  would  he  feel  on  being  alFaulted  with  the  vile  temp- 
tations of  the  devil,  and  having  his  horrid  and  abomina- 
ble fuggeftions  prefented  to  the  fancy. 1  only  further 

mention  his  fufierings,  from  fympathy  with  others.  The 
mod  excellent  and  worthy  of  the  human  kind  are  fuch  as 
have  tJic  tendereft  feelings  of  the  fufferings  of  others.  Now, 
fince  he  was  a  perfedl  man,  fmce  tendernefs  feems  to 
have  been  his  ruling  charafter,  and  his  errand  into  the 
world  a  meiTage  of  love  flov/ing  from  infinite^  compaffion  as 
its  caufe,  we  niuft  fuppofe  him  liable  to  the  fevereft  fuf- 


in  bis  Hiwiiliation.  gg  , 

feringS'  of  this  kind.  I  know  the  hard-hearted,  felfilh 
world,  will  find  it  difficult  to  conceive  this  as  a  fource  of 
fevere  fuiTering,  elpecially  fuch  as  have  no  regard  to  any- 
thing beyond  this  world.  But  this  is  not  the  cafe  with 
ail ;  for  I  am  certain  there  are  fome  whofe  fharpeil  pangs 
have  been  occafioncd  by  the  fufTerings  of  others,  efpecially 
M  lien  of  a  fpiritual  kind.  To  form  fome  conception  of 
this,  let  us  imagine,  what  mufl  be  the  anguifli  of  a  pious 
and  afi'edtionate  parent,  on  the  death  of  a  wicked  a  child, 
wlio  apparently  trod  in  die  path  of  the  defiroyer,  and  of 
whom  he  hath  the  greatefl:  reafon  to  fear,  that  he  no  fooner 
clofed  his  eyes  on  the  light  of  this  world,  than  he  lifted  them 
up  in  the  torments  of  hell.  Now,  as  compaffion  was 
llronger  in  none  than  in  the  man  Chrift  Jefus,  fo  none 
could  have  fo  clear  a  view  of  the  mifery  of  thofe  who  were 
the  objedts  of  it ;  and  therefore,  no  doubt,  this  was  a  fource 
of  the  deepcll  affliftion  to  his  foul. 

4.  In  the  lad  place,  the  affli£lions  of  our  Lord  not  only 
continued,  but  increafed,  through  his  life,  till  they,  at  lail, 
ifTued  in  an  extraordinary  conflict  with  the  powers  of 
darknefs,  and  an  immediate  fubje6tion  to  the  wrath  of 
a  fin  avenging  God.  Let  it  be  obferved,  that  though  I 
here  mention  particularly  his  enduring  the  wrath  of  God, 
as  the  laft  and  finifhing  part  of  his  fufferings,  I  do  not 
mean  to  confine  his  fufferings  from  the  hand  of  God  to 
this  feafon.  Without  all  queftion,  every  part  of  his  hu- 
miliation was  fatisfaftory  to  the  divine  juftice,  and  con- 
tributed to  appeafe  the  wrath  of  God.  This  cup  was  put 
to  his  mouth  fo  foon  as  he  aflumed  our  nature  ;  he  conti- 
nued to  drink  of  it  daily,  and  was  therefore  juft.ly  lliled  a 
man  of  forrows  ;  but,  in  the  clofe  of  life,  he  came  to  diink 
off  the  very  bittereft  dregs  of  it.  The  waves  of  diviiie 
wrath  went  over  him  ;  and  he  waded  ftill  deeper  and 
deeper  in  this  troubled  ocean,  till  he  was  well  nigh  over- 
whelmed. That  Chrifl  fuffered  under  the  wrath  of  God 
in  an  eminent  degree,  is  manileft  both  from  the  prophe- 
cies of  the  Old  Tellament,  and  the  relation  given  of  the 
event  in  the  New.  Ifa.  liii.  5. — 10.  "  But  he  was  wounded 
*'  for  our  tranfgreffions,  he  was  bruifed  for  our  iniquities  : 
*'  the  challifement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  with 

Vol.  II.  M 


^\  fh€  Glory  af  Christ 

'"  his  ftrip^s  we  are  healed.     All  we,  like  llieep,  hav'g 

"  gone  aliray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  v/ay, 

"  and  the  Lbrd  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all. 

'"  He  Wets  oppreffed,  and  he  was  altiifted,  yet  he  opened 

"  not  his  mOuth  ;  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  ilaughter 

.'•  and  as  a  flleep  before  her  fhearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  open- 

"  eth  not  his  mouth;     He  was  taken  from  prifon  and  from 

*'  judgment :  and  who  fhall  declare  his   generation  ?  for 

"  he  was  cut  o5' eat  af  the   land   of  the  living  ;  for  the 

*'  tranfgrefflon  Of  ttiy  people  was  he  llricken.     And  he 

'*'  niade  his  grave  with  the  v;icked,  and  with  the  rich  in 

"  his  death,  becaufe  he  had  done  no  violence,  neither  was 

"  any  deceit  irl  his  mouth.     Yet   it  pleafed  the  Lord  to 

"  bruife  him  :  he  hath  put  him  to  grief:  when  thou  fhalt 

"  make  his  foul  an  offering  for  fm,  he  fhall  fee  his  feed,  he 

"  fhall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleafure  of  the  Lord  iliall 

*'  profper  in  his  hand."     See  the  relation  of  his  fufferings 

in  the  garden,  Matth.  xxvi.  38,  39,  "  Then  faith  he  un- 

"  to  them,  my  foul  is  exceeding  forrowful,  even  unto 

"  death  :  tarry  ye  here,  and  watch  Vv^ith  me.     And  he 

"  vvent  a  little  further,  and  fell  on  his  face,  and  prayed, 

"  faying,  O,  my  Father  !  if  it  be  poffible,  let  this  cup  pafs 

*'  from  ine  !  nevierthekfs,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt ! 

'*'  Mark  xiv.  33,  34,  35,  36.    And  he  takdth  with  him 

"  Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  and  began  to  be  fore  ama- 

^'  zed,  and  to  be  very  heavy,  and  faith  unto  them,  my  foul 

'*'  is  exceeding  forrowful  unto  death  !  tarry  ye  here,  and 

•'*'  v/atch ;  r.nd  he  went  forward  a  little,  and  fell  on  the 

""  ground,  and  prayed,  that  if  it  were  poffible  the  hour 

^*'  might  pafs  from  him !  And  he  faid,  Abrba,  Father,  all 

''^"  things  are  poihble  unto  thee  :  take  away  this  cup  iiom 

•jtfc.jYie  I  neverthelefs,  not  what  I  v/ill,  but  what  thou  Vvilt  I 

^^*''Luke  xxii.  43,  44.  And  thtre  appeared  an  angel  unto 

■'"^him  from  heaven,  llren^thening  him  ;  and,  being  in  an 

^'*^gony,  he  prayed  niore  earneftly  !  and  his  fweat  was,  as 

-*'  'ii!  were,  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground !" 

on?  "iFhat  the  fame  deep  diflrefs  of  foul  continued  upon  the 

'^e+6fs,  is  plain  from  this  lamentable  exclam.ation,  Matth^ 

■3lxVii.  46.  "  And,  about  the  ninth  hour,  Jefus  cried  with 

•"'iial  loud  voice,   faying,  Eli,  Eli,  lamafabachthani !  that 


in  Ms  Htimirtadon.  ^ 

^'  tl?at  is  to  fay,  my  God»  my  God,  vvhy  haft  thou  forfaken 
"  rae !"  In  what  manner,  precifely,  Chrift  fuffcrcd  the 
wrath  of  God  on  this  occafion,  it  would  be  too  bold  for  us 
to  determine ;  whether  it  was  only  God's  withdrawing 
from  his  human  foul  thq  comforts  of  his  fenfible  prefence 
— his  being  alfaiilted  and  diilreffed  witii  the  infernal  fug- 
geftions  of  the  devil — his  having  a  lively  piifture  prefented 
to  his  imagination  of  the  miferies  of  mankind  here,  an4 
hereafter,  on  account  of  fui,  and  fufierin?;  whh  them  by 
pompaihon  and  fympathy — or,  fmally,  God's  pofitively 
inllifting  upon  him,  'iox  a  feafon,  the  fame  punii'hment  in 
kind,  at  leaft,  if  not  in  degree,  that  fliould  have  befallen 
thofe  for  whom  he  fuflcred,  and  which  the  impenitent  ftiU 
ihall  for  ever  endure.  This  lafl  is  by  fome  fuppofed  im- 
poffiblc  and  contradidlory,  as  much  of  their  mifery  arifes 
from  an  evil  confcience,  from  which  he  was  abfolutely 
free  ;  and  from  defpair  of  mercy,  which  none  will  affirm 
that  even  God's  defertion  of  him  at  that  awful  feafon  did 
imply.  It  is  probable,  there  was  a  mixture  of  all  thefe 
particulars  in  his  mingled  cup.  And,  as  to  the  laft,  I  fliall 
only  fay,  that  the  pain  and  anguifli,  that  follows  any  re- 
Peftlon,  of  a  rational  foul,  is  only  conneded  Avith  it  by 
the  determination  of  God,  the  Creator  of  our  fpirits  :  there- 
fore it  was  certainly  in  the  power  of  the  Almighty  to  in- 
fli6l  a  fenfe  of  pain  in  any  kind,  or  in  any  degree,  on  the 
holy  created  foul  of  the  man,  Chrift  Jefus,  And  I  fee  no 
other  contrariety  to  the  divine  perfections,  in  inflifling 
that  very  anguifli  on  the  holy  and  innocent  Saviour,  than 
in  fubllituting  him  in  our  room  at  all,  and  bruifmg  him  fop 
our  iniquities.  One  thing  is  certain,  that,  in  his  life,  and 
at  his  death,  he  fuffercd  what  was  a  full  reparation  cf  tho 
diflionor  done  to  God ;  a  fufficient  vindication  of  the  pu- 
rity of  his  nature,  and  the  authority  of  his  broken  law,  and 
what  purchafed  pardon  and  peace,  fantflifi cation,  and  eter- 
nal glory,  to  a  v/hole  world  of  cle£t  fmncrs.  And  now^ 
my  brediren,  from  this  view,  did  not  our  Redeemer  tra- 
vel in  the  greatnefs  of  his  ilrength  ?  Was  it  a  fmall  llrength 
that  could  go  through  all  this  track  of  fuiTering,  widiout 
finking  in  the  way?  Yet  this  did  he  Vv  ith  unfliaken  conftan. 
cy ;  and,  as  his  giving  up  his  life  was  the  laft  part  of  it,  fo- 


9^,  ^he  Glcry  of  Christ 

he  expired  not,  before  he  could  fay,  it  is  finish£d  ! 
Well,  then,  might  the  anfwer  be  given  to  the  queftion  in 
my  text,  W^ho  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edoni^  ivith  dyed 
garments  from  Bozrah  ?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  appa- 
rel, travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength?  in  the  words 
that  follow,  "  1  diat  fpeak  in  righteoufnefs,  mighty  to  fave.'* 
We  proceed  to  obferve  in  the  3d  place,  that  the  glory 
of  our  Redeemer  in  his  fufferings,  appears  from  the  purity 
of  his  carriage,  and  the  perfection  of  his  patience  under 
them.  The  former  conilderation  fliov/s  his  natural 
ftrength,  (fo  to  fpeak)  and  this  his  moral  excellence.  Af- 
fliction is  the  touchftone  of  virtue,  tries  its  fuicerity,  and 
illuftrates  its  beauty.  Therefore  we  are  told,  Heb.  ii.  10. 
"  That  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by 
*'  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  fons  unto  glory, 
"  to  make  the  captain  of  their  falvation  perfedl  through 
"  fufferings."  Nothing  could  give  a  greater  value  to  the 
facrifice  he  offered  up,  tlian  the  meeknefs  and  patience 
with  which  he  refigned  that  life  which  was  not  forfeited, 
but  voluntarily  furrendered.  Ifa.  hii.  7.  "  He  was  op- 
*'  preffed  and  he  was  affli6led,  yet  he  opened  not  his 
"  mouth  :  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  flaughter,  and  as 
*'  a  iheep  before  her  fhearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  opened  not 
"  his  mouth."  It  is  worth  while  to  refleft,  on  that  conti- 
nued and  invincible  patience  with  which  he  went  through 
the  feveral  fleps  of  his  fufferings  :  that  reproach  and  ca- 
lumny, that  contempt  and  abufe,  which  he  met  widi  from 
thofe  in  whofe  intereft  he  was  fo  deeply  engaged,  did  not 
excite  his  indignation,  but  his  compaffion.  Luke  xix.  41. 
"  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and 
"  v/ept  over  it,  faying,  if  thou  hadft  known,  even  thou,  at 
"  leafl  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy 
*'  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  When 
his  ignorant  difciples  would  have  defended  him  from  the 
affaults  of  his  enemies,  he  fays,  John  xviii.  11. — "  The 
*'  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me,  fhall  1  not  drink 
"  it  ?"  When  he  entered  upon  the  laft  and  heaviefl  part  of 
his  fufferings,  and  began  to  feel  their  anguifli,  he  fays, 
John  xii.  27.  "  Now  is  my  foul  troubled,  and  what  Ihall 
*'  I  fay  ?    Father,  fave  me  from  this  hour  L  but  for  this 


in  bis  Humiliation.  97 

"  caufe  came  I  unto  this  hour."  And  in  that  dreadful 
lealbn,  when  in  the  midft  of  his  hardeft  conflidl,  this  is 
the  form  of  his  prayer,  Matth.  xxvi.  39.  "  O  my  Father ! 
"  if  it  be  poflible  let  this  cup  pafs  from  me  :  neverthclels, 
'*  not  as  1  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  And  a  little  after, 
verfe  42.  "  O  my  Father  !  if  this  cup  may  nor  pafs  away 
**  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done."  Was  not 
this  divine  glory  Ihining  through  the  dark  cloud  that 
encompalfcd  him  ?  AVas  not  this  the  patience  of  a  God  .'' 
And,  in  fpite  of  the  fhame  of  the  crofs,  on  which  he  hung, 
did  it  not  conilrain  the  centurion  that  att^4:ided  his  cruci- 
fixion to  fay,  '■'■  Certainly  this  was  a  righteous  man  ! 
"  Truly  this  man  was  the  Son  of  God  !" 

In  the;  lafl:  place,  Tlie  glory  of  a  fullering  Saviour  ap- 
pears from  the  end  he  had  in  view  in  his  fuflerings, 
and  which  he  fo  effeftually  obtained.  This  was  none 
other  thin  the  glory  of  the  great  God,  and  the  everlalting 
falvation  of  elcdl:  fniners.  It  was  to  do  the  will  of  his  hea- 
venly Father  that  he  came  into  the  world,  and  in  doing 
this  he  delighted.  Towards  the  clofe  of  his  life  he  thus 
addreiles  his  Father,  John  xvii,  4.  "  I  have  glorified  thee 
"  on  the  earth ;  I  have  finifhed  the  work  which  thou  ga- 
"  veil  me  to  do."  He  not  only  exhibited  a  fair  and  bright 
image  of  the  divine  glory  in  his  perfonal  character,  while 
he  dwelt  among  us,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  but  in  his 
work,  as  Mediator,  illuftrated  all  the  perfe(9:ions  of  God  ; 
and  in  particular,  glorified  his  jufi;ice  and  magnified  his 
mercy.  If  therefore  a  worthy  end  beautifies  and  ennobles 
any  dififtcult  undertaking,  this  excellent  purpofe  mufl  give 
dignity  to  a  crucified  Saviour. 

But  ought  we  not  to  add,  the  end  fo  clofely  conne£led 
with  this,  the  falvation  of  perifhing  finners.  Is  not  this 
a  defign,  of  the  beauty  of  which  we  ought  to  be  particu- 
larly fenfible  ?  Had  not  our  compafiionate  Redeemer  llcpt 
in  between  us  and  the  flroke  of  divine  juflice,  we  had 
for  ever  lain  under  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty.  And, 
Oh,  how  unable  had  we  been  to  bear  that  vengeance  which 
was  fo  heavy  to  him  !  Flow  glorious  docs  he  appear  to 
the  convinced  finner  in  his  red  apparel !  and  what  reafon 
has  he  to  fay,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  flain,  to 


§-^.  The  Glory  of  Christ 

**  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wifdom,  and  ftrength, 
*'  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bleffing !" 

1  fliall  now  conckide  this  head,  widi  obferving,  that  I 
have  all  along  confidered  Chrill  as  God  and  man,  in  one 
peribn,  our  Mediator.  I  am  fenfible,  however,  he  could 
only  fulTer  in  his  human  nature,  and  indeed  became  man 
that  he  might  be  capable  of  lufiering.  But  it  was  the  in- 
conceivable union  of  the  human  nature  Vvith  the  divine, 
irom  which  he  derived  his  glory,  which  gave  him  ftrength 
for  fuffering,  and  made  his  lufferings  of  value  fufiicient  tor 
the  purchafe  of  our  redemption. 

I  come,  no"W,  in  the  lall  place,  to  make  fome  pra6lical 
improvement  of  what  hath  been  faid.     And, 

jft.  We  are,  here,  called  to  admire  and  adore  the  un- 
fearchable  wifdom,  and  unfpeakable  love  of  God,  There 
is  a  boundlefs  depth  in  all  the  works  and  ways  of  God, 
and  particularly  here.  Upon  a  flight  view,  v.e  may  be 
apt  to  take  offence  at  the  crofs  ;  to  hide  our  faces  from 
liim ;  to  be  difgufted  at  an  incarnate  God,  the  Lord  of  glo- 
ry, defpifed  and  trampled  on  by  a  proud  Pharifee  ;  the 
Q'e^tor  of  the  ends  of  the  earth  Handing  at  the  judgment- 
feat  of  a  weak  mortal ;  and  the  Author  life  giving  up  the 
ghoft.  But,  upon  a  nearer  infpe6lion,  niuft  we  not  ad- 
jjiire  the  harmony  of  the  divine  attributes,  in  our  redemp- 
tion, upon  this  plan  ?  that  thefe  perfeftions  which  ieem  to 
limit  each  other  in  their  exercife,  fliould  be,  in  conjunfti- 
en,  more  illuftrioufly  difplayed  :  that  God's  infinite  ho- 
Iinefs,  and  abhorrence  of  fm,  nay,  his  impartial  jullice, 
fhould  be  more  difplayed  in  the  pardon  than  the  condem, 
jiation  of  the  finner  ;  that  fo  fignal  a  defeat  Ihould  be  given 
to  the  enemy  of  fouls,  even  when  he  feemed  exulting  in 
the  fuccefs  of  his  defigns  :  that  our  Lord,  by  death,  iliould 
deftroy  him  that  liad  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil ; 
and,  by  being  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  as  unworthy  of  a 
place  on  it,  he  fnould  draw  all  men  unto  him,  joining  thus 
the  extremities  of  glory  and  bafenefs,  power  and  humilia- 
tian,  and  travelling  in  the  greatnefs  of  his  itrength.  I'liis^ 
%v5thout  doubt,  fliall  afford  fubjed  for  the  adoring  inquiry 
©f  glorified  faints  to  eternal  ages  ;  and  vve  ought  to  begin 
it  hei-e,  faying  v/ith  the  Prp,lmiftj  Piul.  Ixxii,  i^*  "flis 


in  bis  Humiliation,  ()t) 

"  name  fliall  endure  forever  :  his  name  fhall  he  continued 
^'  as  long  as  the  fun  ;  and  men  fliall  be  blelVed  in  him  :  all 
"  nations  fhall  call  him  blelTed  !" 

2dly,  Suffer  me  to  improve  the  fubjeft,  by  fliewirtj*  the 
^lih:  and  danger  of  all  who  are  not  reconciled  to  God, 
efpecially  thofe,  who,  by  continuing  in  unbelief  and  im- 
penitence,  Ihall  die  in  that  condition.  There  is  nothing 
we  can  more  juftly  infer  from  what  hath  been  faid,  than 
the  holinefs  of  God,  and  his  deteilation  of  tin.  Such  is 
the  hardnefs  of  heart  of  many  fmncrs,  and  fuch  their  par- 
tiality to  thcmfelves,  that  it  is  a  matter  of  the  mmoll  difll- 
culty  to  convince  them  either  of  their  guilt  or  danger. 
But,  if  you  have  any  belief  in  the  truths  of  the  gofpel,  if 
you  believe  the  certainty  of  that  tranfaaion  which  we 
are  this  day  to  commemorate,  with  what  fear  and  trem- 
bling  ought  you  to  refled  upon  the  juftice  of  God  ?  If  he 
pun?jfhed  fm'fo  feverely  in  the  perfon  of  his  own  Son,  how" 
ihall  he  punifh  it  in  the  perfons  of  the  finally  impenitent  ? 
If  a  temporary  fuffering  of  the  wrath  of  God  was  fo  terri- 
ble to  him,  who  travelled  through  it  in  the  greatnefs  of  his 
ftrength,  what  fhall  it  be  to  thofe  who  fhall  He  under  it  to 
eternity,  without  the  leaft  ray  of  hope  or  eonfolation  ? 
what  fhall  it  be  to  thofe  who  fhall  have  nothing  to  fupport 
them  in  their  unchangeable  abode,  but  an  accufing  con- 
fcience,  and  defpair  of  mercy  ? 

I  cannot  help  obferving,  hear  it,  O  fmners,  and  tfern- 
ble  !  that  a  defpifed  gofpcl  fliall  be  an  aggravation  of  the 
'guilt,  and  an  addition  to  the  mifery,  of  all  to  whom  it  was 
offered,  Hc-b-  ii.  2.  "  For,  if  tlie  word  fpoken  by  angels 
*'  was  ftedfalf,  and  every  tranfgreflion  and  dilbbedience 
"  received  a  juft  recompence  of  reward,  how  fliall  we  ef- 
■*'  cape  if  we  negleft  fo  great  falvation  r" — Heb.  x.  28, 19. 
■*'  He  that  defpifed  Mofes'  law  died,  without  mercy,  un- 
*'  der  two  or  three  witnefles  :  of  hoAV  much  forer  punifli-- 
*'  ment,  fuppofe  ye,  fliall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath 
♦'  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted 
■*'  the  'blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  fandificd, 
"  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  defpite  unt6  the  Spirit 
«  of  grace  ?"  The  feverity  of  the  punifnment  of  fnTncrsj 
Tejeding  the  gcFfpel,  iliall  bear  a  juft  proportion  to  the  \&v6 


loo  The  Glory  of  Christ 

and  mercy  of  God  manifefled  in  that  difpenfation.  If 
thelb  are  juftly  called  unfpeakably  great,  the  other  muft  be 
inconceivably  dreadful.  Every  drop  of  that  blood,  which 
was  fpilt  in  behalf  of  finners,  fhall  be  as  oil  to  the  flames, 
that  confame  the  impenitent,  and  make  them  burn,  with 
greater  fiercenefs,  to  all  the  ages  of  eternity.  Remember, 
I  befeech  you,  that  our  Saviour  fliall  continue  in  the  cha- 
rafter  of  adminiftrator  of  the  covenant  of  gi-ace,  till  the 
final  doom  of  fmners  be  ordained.  The  fame  perfon, 
whofe  foul  was  made  an  offering  for  fin,  and  who  groaned  on 
Calvary,  fiiall,  one  day,  come  in  his  own  and  in  his  Fa- 
ther's glory,  attended  with  his  angels,  as  the  minifters  of 
his  jultice  ;  then  "  every  eye  fhall  fee  him,  and  thofe 
"  alfo  that  pierced  him,  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  lliall 
"  wail  becaufc  of  him.*'  Then  how  ihall  his  enemies 
fland  before  him,  when  thofe  who  came  to  apprehend  him 
fell  to  the  ground,  at  his  word,  even  in  his  humiliation  ? 
Thofe  who  obfl;inately  refufe  to  be  the  trophies  of  his 
grace  fhall  then  be  the  monuments  of  his  vengeance.  It 
is  very  remarkable,  that  as  the  nation  of  the  Jews  were  a 
people  uncommonly  favored  of  God,  particularly  by  the 
enjoyment  of  the  perfonal  minillry  of  Chrifl:,  and  hearing 
the  gracious  words  that  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth  ;  fo, 
when  they  had  filled  up  the  meafure  of  their  iniquities,  by 
rejeding  him,  the  judgment  that  fell  upon  them  was  the 
mod  fignal,  and  terrible,  and  lading,  that  ever  was  inflidl- 
ed  on  any  people.  In  this  they  were  an  example  of  the 
fkte  of  a  whole  world  of  finners;  and,  indeed,  the  de- 
llru6lion  of  Jerufalem  is  defcribed  in  fuch  term.s  as  do  na- 
turally fugged  to  us  the  final  judgment  of  the  world,  and 
teach  us  what  to  expe6l,  "  when  the  Lord  Jefus  Ihall  be 
"  revealed  from  heaven,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance 
*'  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gof- 
*'  pel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrid." 

''  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  Now  the 
Saviour  is  in  the  poilure  of  a  humble  fupplicant,  danding 
at  the  door  of  many  hard  hearts,  and  knocking,  and  add- 
ing admifiion.  Now  does  he  earnedly  befeech  you,  by 
his  mercies,  to  be  reconciled  to  God  ;  but  then  fiiall  he 
put  on  the  frowns  and  terrors  of  a  judge  ;  ,and  how  ftiall 


in  his  HumUiat'wn.  lot. 

tfiey  be  able  to  lift  up  their  eyes  towards  him,  who  now 
trample  upon  his  love  ?  See  a  reprefentation  of  this  mat- 
ter, Rev.  vi.  14,  15,  16,  17.  "  And  the  heaven  departed 
"  as  a  fcroli  when  it  is  rolled  together  ;  and  every  moun- 
"  tain  and  ifland  v/ere  moved  out  of  their  places  :  and  die 
"  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and'the  rich  men, 
"  and  the  chief  c;iptains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  eveiy 
"  bondman,  and  every  freeman,  liid  themfelves  in  the 
"  dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains  ;  and  faid  to 
*■'  the  mountains  and  rocks,  fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from 
"  the  face  of  him  that  fittedi  on  the  throne,  and  from  the 
"  wrath  of  the  Lamb  ;  for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is 
"  come  ;  and  who  fhall  be  able  to  Hand  !'*  It  is  remark- 
able, that  the  wrath  here  fpoken  of,  is  called  the  ivrath  of 
the  Lamb.  Strange  exprelFion  indeed  !  but  flrongly  lig- 
nifying,  that  his  prefent  meeknefs,  and  patience,  and  fuf- 
fering,  fliall  inflame  and  exafperate  his  future  rengeancc. 
Knowing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  I  would  befeecli 
ever)'  fmner  in  this  aflembly,  to  confider  the  things  that 
belong  to  his  peace,  that  the  fame  Itrength  and  power  of 
our  Redeemer,  that  was  evident  in  his  fufFering  in  our 
ftead,  that  is  evident  in  working  out  the  falvation  of  his  own 
people,  fhall  alfo  be  evident  in  the  judgment  of  his  enemies. 
Pfal.  ii.  1 1, 12.  "  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with 
"  trembling.  Kifsthe  Son,  left  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perifli 
''  from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little  : 
"  BleiTed  are  all  they  that  put  their  truft  in  him." 

In  the  3d  place,  I  would  improve  this  fubjcci,  for  the 
encouragement  of  fmners  to  return  to  God  through  Chriil. 
It  was  for  this  very  end,  that  God  laid  help  upon  One  that 
is  mighty,  and  raifed  up  a  choien  One  out  of  the  folk.  Is 
there,  then,  among  you,  an  awakened  finner,  wlio  trem- 
bles at  the  profpe£l  of  Divine  wrath,  upon  whole  heart 
God,  in  his  mercy,  has  carried  home  a  convldtion  of  his 
loft  ftate,  and  who  is  crying  out,  IVbat  shall  I  do  to  be 
Siroedf  Behold,  here,  the  peace-fpeaking  blood  of  the 
Lamb  of  God  !  Behold,  here,  not  only  your  ranfom 
paid,  and  juiVice  fully  fatisfied,  but  a  powerful,  an  Al- 
mighty Saviour,  able  to  lave  to  the  utternioil,  all  that 
come  unto  God  by  him  !     lie  has  gone  through  his  work, 

Vol.  n.  N 


loi  -The  Glory  of  Christ 

in  the  greatnefs  of  his  ftrength  !  He  hath  foiled  your  fyu 
titual  enemies,  and  made  a  fhew  of  them  openly,  tri- 
umphing over  them  in  his  crofs  !  My  brethren,  there  is 
the  greater  need  earnellly  to  intreat  your  attention  to  this,, 
that  a  flothfui.  defpondency,  and  diffidence  of  fuccefs,  is 
what  keepr,  many  fmners  from  a  liearty  return  to  God. 
There  is  more  of  this  in  the  hearts  of  many  tiian  they  them- 
felves  are  aware  of:  I  do  not  mean  defpair  of  mercy  a-' 
lone,  but  defpair  of  recovery  from  a  frate  of  fin,  of  deli- 
verance from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  attaining  to 
the  difpofition  and  chara6lerofGod*s  children.  Are  there 
not  many  of  you,  my  bi'ethren,  who,  though  you,  in 
fome  meafure,  fee  the  excellence  and  happinefs  of  a  ftate 
of  favor  with  God,  and  holy  conformity  to  his  will,  yet 
finding  how  ilrongly  you  are  wedded  to  the  world,  and  its 
fmful  enjoyments,  and  knowing,  by  experience,  the  un- 
fuccefsfulnefs  of  former  refolutions  taken  on  in  your  own 
ftrength,  you  have  no  hope  of  fuccefs,  and  fo,  in  a  ful- 
len  obftinacy,  refufe  to  attempt  what  you  think  you  can- 
not accomplilh  .''  Do  you  not  fee,  from  what  hath 
been  faid,  both  your  former  error,  and  what  is  now  the 
proper  cure  ?  You  can  do  nothing  of  yourfelves  ;  but 
through  Ghrift  ftrengthening  you,  yoii  may  do  all  things. 
He  is  an  Almighty  Saviour  :  he  is  ftronger  than  the  ftrong 
man  who  detains  you  in  bondage  :  he  is  able  to  knock  off 
the  ftrongeft  fetters,  and  let  the  prifoners  go  free.  Where- 
fore, 1  befeech  you,  my  dear  friends,  as  yoti  value  youi* 
everlafting  Intereft,  that  you  do  not  fit  ftill,  and  perifli, 
but  arife,  and  be  doing,  and  the  Lord  will  be  with  you. 
In  the  4th  place,  the  fame  inftru6lion,  with  little  dif- 
ference, may  be  given  to  the  people  of  God.  As  felf- 
righteoufnefs,  and  felf-confidence,  are  the  ruling  charac- 
ters of  the  unregenerate :  fo  they  are  chfeafes  never  en- 
tirely cured  in  this  world,  even  in  the  bell,  and  lamenta- 
bly prev.dent  in  many  of  God's  own  chiltlren.  As  their 
work  is  to  obtain  a  victory  over  their  corruptions,  and  grow 
in  the  exercife  of  every,  Chriftian  grace,  they  often  at- 
tempt bodi  thefe  too  much  in  their  own  ftrength.  As  the 
natural  and  unavoidable  confequence  of  this,  they  meet 
with  frequent  difappointments ;  thefe  make  them  ready  to 


/«  bis  Humiliation.  lo^ 

fit  clown  in  Hoiliful  carelelFncfs,  and  decline  tkc  flrugglq 
to  whicli  they  fxud  themfelves  unequal,  nay,  too  often  not 
without  fccrct  murmurings  and  complaints  againfl  God, 
as  a  hard  maRcf,  requiring  bricks,  and  giving  no  ftraw  ; 
inftead  of  concluding,  from  thch*  unfuccefsfuln efs,  that 
they  mud  have  taken  tlieir  meafuies  wrong,  diey  conclude 
the  attempt  itfelf  to  be  vain,  and  tlie  work  impra6licable. 
But,  my  brethren,  here  is  a  truth,  which  not  only  the 
word  of  God  every  where  teaches,  but  which  alniofl  every 
part  of  his  Providence  towards  us  is  intended  to  ratify, 
t/jat  in  us  dwelleth  no  good  thing  ;  that  we  can  hardly 
have  too  low  an  opinion  of  our  own  worth,  or  our  own 
llrength ;  but,  at  the  fame  time,  that  God  is  able  and 
willing  to  perfect  firength  in  our  weaknefc.  He  is  able  to 
uphold  the  weakeft  felf  denied  Chriftian  in  the  midll  of  the 
mofl  dangerous  temptations,  though  he  often  fufFers  the 
felf-fufficient  to  fall  before  his  enemies.  Wherefore,  my 
dear  friends,  believe  in  the  Almighty  power  of  your  Re- 
deemer ;  and  I  hope  you  w^Ill  know,  to  your  experience, 
that  "  he  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and,  to  them  that 
"  have  no  might,  he  increafclh  flrength." 

In  the  5th  place,  fuffer  me  to  improve  this  fubjedl,  for 
the  comfort  and  refreihment  of  every  difconfolate  and 
mourning  foul.  As  weary  and  heavy  laden  fmners  are 
the  psrfons  to  whom  the  call  of  the  gofpel  is  addrefled,  fo 
furely  it  alfo  fpeaks  peace  to  weary  and  heavy  ladea 
faints.  This  world  was  plainly  defigned  as  a  place  of  trial 
and  difcipline,  and  not  of  complete  refl  to  the  children  of 
God.  It  often  pleafes  him,  in  his  fovereign  and  holv  Pro- 
vidence, not  only  to  afflifl  them  with  outward  trials,  but 
to  hide  his  face  from  them,  and  vifit  them  v/ith  dillrefs  of 
foul.  May  not  all  fuch  fee,  from  what  has  been  faid, 
that  they  are  but  conformed  to  their  Redeemer  ;  that  they 
are  but  treading  in  the  path  \yhich  he  hath  lan^V.ified;  and 
is  it  not  "enough  for  thedifciple,  that  he  be  as  his  Maf- 
"  ter,  and  for  the  fervant,  that  he  be  as  his  Lord?"  It 
would  be  a  great  point  gained,  if  we  could  but  be  con- 
vinced, that  afiUctions  are  what  wc  mull  look  for,  and  lb 
not  hallily  and  rafhly  conclude,  that  he  is  "  rebuking 
**  us  in  his  wrath,  and  challening  us  in  his  hot  difplea- 


104  *^k(^  Glory  of  Christy  is'c. 

"  fure."  Is  it  not  comfortable,  and  is  it  not  true,  that 
Chrift  hath  taken  away  the  lling  of  death,  and  of  every 
fuftering  from  his  people,  and  left  nothing  but  that  cor- 
rection which  is  healthful  and  neceffary  ?  Above  all,  ought 
you  not  to  look  to  the  power  of  your  Redeemer,  and  ihis 
almighty  llrength,  as  fufficient  to  fupport  you  now,  and 
at  laft  work  your  complete  deliverance  ?  Banifh  every 
thought  that  tends  to  reprefent  your  cafe,  either  as  frngii- 
lar,  to  abate  your  fenfe  of  the  divine  goodnefs,  or  as  def- 
perate,  to  weaken  your  hands,  in  feeking  relief;  and 
make  your  requeil  to  God,  "  with  ftrong  crying  and  tears, 
"  that  he,  as  the  God  of  hope,  would  fill  you  with  all  joy, 
"  and  peace  in  believing,  that  you  may  rejoice  with  joy 
"  unfpeakable,  and  full  of  glory." 

6th.  I  Ihall  now  conclude  all,  with  an  earneft  invita- 
tion to  all  intending  communicants,  to  come  to  the  table 
of  the  Lord,  and,  by  faith,  to  feed  upon  the  rich  entertain- 
ment that  is  there  provided  for  them.  See  here  the  price 
of  your  redemption ;  the  evidence  and  fecurity  of  your 
pardon  ;  the  feal  of  God's  love  to  you  ;  and  the  certain 
pledge  of  G.wery  neceffary  bleffing.  "  It  pleafed  the  Fa- 
"  ther,  that  in  Chrift  ftiould  all  fulnefs  dwell,  and  of  his 
"  fulnefs  you  may  all  receive,  and  grace  for  grace."  His 
body,  broken,  is  the  bread  of  life,  that  mull  nourifli  your 
fouls  to  their  everlafting  ftate.  His  blood,  Ihed,  is  a  never 
failing  cordial  to  a  broken  fpirit,  and  a  moll  excellent  re- 
freshment to  the  foul  that  pants  in  a  parched  wildernefs. 
May  the  Lord  himfelf  meet  with  us,  and  blefs  us,  vifit  us 
v/ith  his  gracious  prefence,  and  make  us  joyful  in  his  houfe 
pf  prayer.     Amen". 


[  105  ] 


*?M  co*d  woo  i«3oe  ooo  occ«  &:.«:  ocso  oom  oooo  ooce  oooc  cooo  ;  oooo  coo*  cooo  ucot.  kOo»  «om  «ooa  coec  eooc  com  oeoo  ^eo* 

402Q  OOOO  OOCO  OCCO  C.OO  M.C  OCOA  WOw  C90u  C#C3  OO-JO  0(.00  ODOe  I  COCO  WXW  dOOO  0.0^  C«00  MCC  OUCU  bOCC  ac«0  COOD  «0i>  KM 


T:iE  DECEITFULNESS  of  SIN. 


SERMON. 


Hebrews  iii.  13. 

Ijut  exhort  one  another  daily ^  ivhilc  it  is  called  to  day  ; 
lest  any  of  you  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of 
Sin. 

WE  fee  many  myfterious  things  in  the  frame  of  na- 
ture, and  the  courfe  of  Providence.  But  nothing 
can  be  more  myflerious  and  wonderful  than  what  we  may 
often  fee  in  the  Hate  of  our  own  hearts.  When  there  is 
no  prefent  foUciting  temptation,  and  when  we  confider, 
in  a  cool  and  deliberate  manner,  the  confequcncss  of  vice 
and  wickednefs,  even  barely  from  the  dictates  of  -natural 
confcience,  it  feems  furprizing,  that,  in  any  inllance,  we 
Ihould  yield  to  it ;  that  we  fliould  be  induced  to  break  the 
peace  of  our  own  minds,  and  provoke  the  vengeance  of 
an  Almighty  Judge  ;  nay,  to  do  fo  for  a  trifling,  momen- 
tary, and  uncertain  fatisfadlion.  But  if  it  be  imreafonable 
to  oftend  God  at  all,  and  to  take  but  a  few  fheps  in  the 
paths  of  fm,  how  much  more  above  meafure  allonifliing 
is  it,  that  men  fhould  adhere  to  their  former  miftakes, 
and  fliould  not  open  their  eyes  after  repeated  admonitions 
of  their  danger,  and  daily  experience  of  their  own  folly  ! 
I  believe'  every  body  will  be  fenfible,  that  many  finners, 
even  fetting  afide  the  confideration  of  fome  of  the  mofl  im- 


io6  TJje  Deceitf Illness  of  Sin. 

portant  religious  truths,  a6l  in  a  manner  fo  dire(!^ly  oppo- 
fite  to  their  own  prefent  intereft  as  is  not  to  be  accounted 
for,  without  fuppofing  them  under  an  amazing  degree  of 
blindnefs  and  infatuation.  This  is  to  be  refolved  into  the 
deceit/illness  of  sin ^  a  circumftance  on  this  great  fubje£t 
well  worthy  of  our  moil  ferious  attention. 

In  entering  on  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  let  us  reflect  a 
little  on  the  meaning  of  the  expreffion.  Who  is  it  that  is 
deceived  ?  It  is  the  fmner  himfelf  Does  he  need  to  be 
deceived  ?  Is  there  not  in  us  all  a  flrong  enough  direct 
inclination  to  that  which  is  evil,  ready  to  'ouril  afunder 
every  reilraining  tie  ?  There  is  fo  ;  and  yet  there  is  more 
in  our  danger  than  merely  a  propenfity  to  fin.  There  is 
alfo  a  deceit  and  impofition  which  overreaches  us,  and  in- 
fnares  us  into  the  commiffion  of  v/hat,  but  for  that  mif- 
take,  we  would  have  avoided  or  abhorred.  There  is  very 
frequent  mention  made  of  this  in  fcripture  ;  many  cau- 
tions againft  being  deceived  ;  ancl  indeed  all  fin  is  repre- 
fented  as  error  and  delufion,  in  which — a  deceived  heart 
hath  turned  us  allde. 

Again,  if  the  fmner  is  deceived,  who  is  it,  or  what  is 
it  that  deceives  him  ?  Here  v/e  muft  obferve,  that  when 
we  fpeak  of  fin's  being  deceitful,  it  is  not  fo  much  any 
thing  without  us,  taking  the  advantage  of  our  weaknefs, 
but  it  is  the  eiledl  and  evidence  of  the  ftrength  of  corrup- 
tion within  us,  which  makes  us  fee  things  in  a  wrong  light, 
and  draw  unjull  and  pernicious  confequences  from  them. 
Let  us  always  remember,  that  the  whole  frame  of  nature, 
although  it  be  the  fcene  of  temptation,  and  even  the  fuel 
of  concupifcence,  is  faultlefs  in  itfelf ;  nay  it  prefents  us 
every  where  with  lelTonsof  piety  and  obedience  to  its  Au- 
thor. The  miilake  here  arifes  wholly  from  ourfelves. 
There  is  a  remarkable  difference  between  the  deceitfulnefs 
of  fm  and  deceit  of  any  other  kind ;  in  v/orldly  tranfae- 
tions,  die  perfon  deceived  is  never  fuppofed  unfaith- 
ful to  himfelf,  but  is  impofed  on  by  the  fuperior  art  and 
cunning  of  the  deceiver.  But  it  is  otherwife  in  fpiritual 
matters,  where  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  is  but  another  form 
of  fpeech  for  the  corruption  and  treacheiy  of  our  own 
heai'ts.     it  is  true,  in  foitie  inftances  of  dcluiion,  there  is 


TbeDeceitfulnessofS'in.  107 

mi  adivity  of  outward  agents,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  the  devil 
and  wicked  men,  who  ufe  no  little  induftry  to  feduce 
others,  and  lie  in  wait  to  deceive  ;  but  this,  if  I  miitake 
not,  does  not  belonjr  properly  to  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin, 
which  lies  in  the  difpofition  of  our  own  hearts,  and  is  what 
lays  us  open  to  their  fnares. 

'l  fliall  only  further  obferve,  by  way  of  introdudion, 
that  this  fiibjea  is  equally  applicable  to  good  men  and 
bad.  Both  ought  to  dread,  and  both  ought  to  be  warned 
of  the  deceUfiilnefs  of  fm  ;  it  betrays  good  men  into  dif- 
trefs,  as  well  as  bad  men  into  ruin. 

In  further  difcourfing  on  this  fubjed,  I  fliall, 

I.  Endeavor  to  open  a  little  the  chief  branches  of /i'^r 
(leccitfulness  of  sin, 

II.  Confider  the  duty  founded  upon  it,  of  exhorting 
one  another  daily. 

III.  Make  fome  praftical  improvement  of  the  fubjed. 

Firft,  then,  I  ftiall  endeavor  to  open  a  little  the  chief 
branches  of  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  :  And  I  think  the  de- 
ceitfulnefs of  fm  may  be  divided  into  thefe  three  general 
branches,  i.  Its  difguifmg  itfelf,  and  wholly  conceahng 
its  nature.  2.  Its  forming  excufes  for  itfelf,  and  thereby 
extenuating  its  guilt.  3.  Its  infmuating  itfelf  by  degrees, 
and  leading  men  on  from  the  voluntary  commilTion  of  fome 
fms  to  the  neceffity  of  committing  more. 

I  ft,  then,  The  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  appears  from  its  dif- 
guifmg itfelf,  and  wholly  concealing  its  nature.     Though 
the  great  lines  of  the  law  of  God  are  written  upon  die  c-on- 
fcience  in  fo  ib'ong  and  legible  chara£ters,  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult wholly  to  eflace  them,  yet  it  is  plain  that  men  have 
often  brought  this   about   to  a  furprifmg  degree.     The 
Pfalmift  David,   fenfible  how  often  fm  is  concealed  from 
our  own  view,  exclaims,  Pfal.  xix.  12.  "  Who  can  under- 
"  ftand  his  errors !  cleanfe  thou  me  from  fccret  fauhs." 
What  ingenious  reafonings  do  men  often  ufe  witli  their 
own  minds  to  prove  the  lawfulnefs  of  what  inclination 
leads  them  to,   either  widi  rcfped  to  profit  or  pleafure  ? 
When  the  heart  pleads  the  caufe,  the  underftanding  is  a 
very  favorable  judge.     Every  onQ  may  find  a  great  num- 


io8  T'he  Deceitfutness  of  Sin. 

ber  of  examples  of  this  in  his  own  experience,  and  may 
daily  fee  the  unhappy  effects  of  it  in  others. 

For  the  better  illuftrating  of  this  truth,  that  fin  is  often 
wholly  concealed  even  from  the  man  in  whom  it  dwells, 
be  pleafed  to  attend  to  the  following  obfervations  :  (i.) 
Sometimes  it  fliows  itfelf  in  the  prevalence  of  loofe  prin- 
ciples. 1  am  forry  to  fay,  that  we  live  in  an  age  in  which 
infidelity  of  the  grofleil  kind,  is  fpreading  its  poifon  among 
all  ranks  and  degrees  of  men.  But  why  is  it  fo  readily 
entertained?  Becaufe  it  cither  fets  men  at  liberty  from 
the  ties  of  confcience,  and  a  future  reckoning  altogether  ; 
or  greatly  narrows  the  extent,  and  weakens  the  obliga.tions 
of  the  law  of  God.  How  fweet  and  palatable  to  the  cor- 
rupt mind  is  every  thing  that  removes  refiiraints,  and  fuf- 
fers  the  finner  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  his  own  heart,  and 
the  fight  of  his  own  eyes  .''  It  is  not  reafon,  but  incli- 
nation, that  makes  profelytes  to  thefe  deftru6tive  doc- 
trines. The  truth  is,  would  you  reafon  impartially,  you 
would  conclude,  that  the  principles  muft  be  falfe,  which 
tend  to  fet  men  at  eafe  in  their  crimes.  V/hen  therefore 
the  arguments  in  their  favor  are  fo  eafily  admitted,  wc 
have  jult  ground  to  affirm  that  it  is  owing  to  the  deceitful- 
nefs  of  fin. 

(2.)  If  we  proceed  from  principles  to  practice,  and  from 
generals  to  particulars,  we  fhall  find  how  fin  difguifes  it- 
felf, and  hides  its  deformity  from  our  view.  It  never  ap- 
pears in  its  own  proper  and  genuine  drels,  nor  loves  to  be 
called  by  its  proper  name.  Thus  excefs  and  intemperance 
is  called,  and  unhappily  thou^;ht  by  many,  a  fecial  difpofi- 
tion  and  good  fellowfhip.  Pride  and  unchrifiian  refent- 
ment,  is  called  honor,  fpirit,  and  dignity  of  mind.  Vain 
pomp,  luxury,  and  extravagance,  are  fiyled  tafi:e,  ele- 
gance, and  refinement.  Sordid  avarice,  and  love  of  mo- 
ney, calls  itfelf  prudence,  frugalit)^  and  good  manage- 
ment. Levity,  folly,  and  even  obfcenity,  is  often  called 
innocent  liberty,  chearfulnefe,  and  good  humor.  So 
great  is  the  deceit,  and  fo  fecure  does  the  fin  lye  under  its 
difguife,  that  a  minifi:er  m.ay  preach  with  the  utmofi:  fe- 
verity  againft  thefs  feveral  vices,  and  the  guilty  perfons 


The  Dcceitfulness  of  ^in,  109 

hear  with  patience  or  approbation,  and  never  cnce   think 
of  appl}  ing  it  to  thenilclves. 

I'his  deceit  dilbovers  itfelf  alfo  by  its  counterpart.  Flow 
common  is  it  to  {tignializc  and  dilparage  true  piety  and 
goodnjfs  by  the  moll  opprobrious  titles.  TcndcrneiS  of 
confcicnce,  is,  by  many,  reproached  under  the  character 
of  priicifeners  and  narrownefs  of  mind.  Zeal  againll  fin, 
and  fidelity  to  the  fouls  of  odiers,  is  called  fournefs,  mo- 
rofenels,  and  ill  nature.  There  was  never  yet  a  faithful 
reprover,  from  Lot  in  Sodom  to  the  prefent  day,  but  he 
fuiiered  under  the  reproach  andflander  of  tliofe  who  would 
not  be  reclaimed.  1  might  eafily  run  over  many  more 
inftances  in  botli  thefe  kinds  ;  for,  to  fay  the  truth,  the 
whole  itrain  of  fafiiionable  converfation  is  often  nothing 
elle  but  an  illufion  put  upon  the  mind,  that  it  may  lofe 
its  horror  of  vice  ;  and  it  is  greatly  to  be  lamented,  that 
this  is  done  with  fo  much  fuccefs.  In  many  cafes,  young 
perfons  efpecially,  arc  infpired  v/ith  a  hatred  and  averfion 
at  true  and  undefiled  religion,  and  that  under  the  moll 
plaufible  pretences.  Many,  my  brethren,'  there  are  who 
are  far  from  thinking  it  themfelves,  and  yet  fall  under  the 
denunciation  of  the  Prophet  Ifaiah,  v.  20, — 24.  "  Wo  un- 
"  to  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  that  put  dark- 
"  nefs  for  light,  and  light  for  darknefs  ;  that  put  bitter  for 
"  fweet,  and  fweet  for  bitter.  A\'"o  unto  them  that  are 
'*  wife  in  their  ov/n  eyes,  and  prudent  in  their  own  fight. 
"  Wo  unto  them  that  are  mighty  to  drink  wine,  and  men 
"  ofllrength  to  mingle  ftrong  drink :  which  julufy  the 
"  wicked  for  reward,  and  take  away  the  righteouiiicfs  of 
'^  the  righteous  from  him.  Therefore,  as  tiie  fire  devour- 
"  eth  the  Hubble,  and  the  flame  confumeth  die  cuaili,  fo 
*'  their  root  Ihall  be  as  rottennefs,  and  their  blofiom  Ihall 
*'  go  up  as  dull;  becaule  they  have  cafl;  away  the  law  of 
"  the  Lord  of  riofts,  and  del  piled  Uie  word  of  the  Holy 
*'  One  of  Ifrael." 

(3.)  But  the  highefl  degree  of  this  branch  of  the  dcceit- 
fulncfs  of  fin,  is,  wlien  it  not  only  puts  on  a  decent  and 
lawful  appearance,  but  alTumes  the  garb  of  emineni  piety 
and  worth.  There  is  nothing  impoliible  in  this.  -As 
Satan  fometimes  transforms  himfelf  into  an  angel  of  lij^iit, 

Vol.  II.  O 


iio  '^he  ]*)eceitfulness  of  Siri. 

fo  fome  of  the  greateft  fiiis  will  take  the  name,  and  aitd- 
gate  the  honor,  of  the  moft  diflinguiihed  X'irtues.  I  dd 
not  here  mean  the  cafe  of  grofs  hypocrify  ;  that  ic  foreign 
from  the  prefent  fubjeft.  Hypocrites  know  their  own  in- 
fmcerity  well  enough,  and  only  put  on  an  appearance  of 
piety,  to  deceive  others.  But  even  when  there  is  no 
known  or  deliberate  hypocrify,  fm  may  infinuate  itfelf  un- 
der the  appearance  of  the  moll  important  duties.  Men 
linay  indulge  the  moft  hateful  paflions  with  the  greater  li- 
berty, when  they  think  they  are  doing  What  is  acceptable 
to  Godj 

The  crofs  of  our  blefled  Mafter  is  full  fraught  with  in- 
llruftion  of  every  kind.  It  gives  us,  particularly,  a  ftriking 
example  of  what  I  have  now  faid.  His  enemies,  who  per- 
fecuted  him  with  unrelenting  malice  through  his  life,  and 
at  laft  prevailed  to  have  him  hanged  on  a  tree,  did  it,  fome, 
rio  doubt,  from  a  pretended,  but  many  of  them,  from  a 
mifguided  zeal  for  religion.  He  was  crucified  as  a  de- 
ceiver, and  a  blafphenier  ;  and  that  in  this  they  were  mif- 
led,  appears  from  the  language  of  his  prayer  for  them  on 
the  crofs,  "  Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what 
^^  they  do."  What  a  conviftion  fhould  this  give  us  of 
the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm ;  that  the  greateft  fm  that  ever  was 
committed  on  earth,  was  yet  confidered,  by  the  guilty,  as 
a  duty ! 

Let  us  alfo  confider  our  Saviour's  remarkable  predic- 
tion on  the  fame  fubjedt,  and  how  often  it  hath  been  ful- 
filled: John  xvi.  2.  "  They  fliall  put  you  out  of  the  fyna- 
*'  gogues !  yea,  the  time  cometh,  that  whofoever  killeth 
"  you,  will  think  that  he  doth  God  fervice/'  My  bre- 
thren, think  a  little  on  the  many  dreadful  perfecutions 
v/hich  good  men  have  endured  for  confcience  fake  ;  the 
terrible  tortures  they  have  been  expofed  to,  in  which  the 
utmoft  invention  of  the  human  mind  has  been  employed 
to  aggravate  their  diftrefs.  Think,  in  particular,  of  the 
horrible  tribunal  of  inquifition,  which  is,  to  this  day,  in 
full  authority  in  countries  not  very  diftant ;  and  does  it 
not  infpire  you  with  the  higheft  deteftation  of  the  bloody 
tyrants  ?  But  there  is  another  refleftion  not  fo  frequently 
made,  yetatlealt  equally  proper.  How  great  is  the  deceit^ 


Tbe  Deceit  fulness  of  Sin.  \\i 

fulnefs  of  fin  in  the  human  heart,  that  can  make  men 
Jiippofe  that  fuch  atrocious  crimes  arc  acceptable  to  God? 
Yet  they  certainly  do  lb.  Neither  would  it  be  polTible 
for  them,  fo  entirely,  to  divcll  themfclves  of  every  fcnti- 
ment  of  humanity,  if  they  were  not  inflamed  by  the  rage 
of  bigotry  and  fdlfe  zeal  Let  not  any  imagine,  that  thcfe 
arc  dreadful  crimes,  but  which  they  are  not  in  the  lead 
danger  of.  A\''e  ought  to  maintain  tlie  greateft  watchful- 
nefs  and  jealoufy  over  our  own  fpirits.  It  may  very  eafi- 
ly,  and  does  very  frequently  happen,  that  an  apparent  zeal 
for  religion  is  more  than  half  compofed  of  pride,  malice, 
envy,  or  revenge. 

Nor  is  this  all.  In  the  above  cafes,  by  the  treachery 
of  the  human  heart,  fins  arc  changed  into  duties,  and,  in 
many  others,  every  day,  duties  are  changed  into  fins,  by 
the  perverfion  of  the  principle  from  which  they  ought  to 
flow,  Many  a  fober,  temperate  perfon  oweth  his  regu- 
larity more  to  a  lull  of  gold,  than  to  any  fenfe  of  duty, 
and  obedience  to  God.  The  defire  of  praife,  or  the  fear  of 
reproach,  is  many  times,  a  reftraint  more  powerful  than 
the  apprehenfion  of  eternal  judgment.  Men  may  put  one 
(luty  alfo  in  the  place  of  another,  and  by  thc^t  means  con- 
vert it  into  fin.  Nay,  with  regard  to  all  our  duties,  we 
may  be  tempted  to  place  that  trufi;  and  dependence  on 
them  which  is  only  due  to  our  Redeemer's  perfedl  righte- 
Qufnefs ;  and,  inftead  of  a£ls  of  obedience,  make  them, 
idols  of  jealoufy  before  God. 

How  great  then  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  which  is  capa- 
ble of  putting  on  fo  many  and  fo  artful  difguifes,  and  even 
to  counterfeit  true  piety,  wliich  Hands  in  the  molt  imme- 
diate and  direft  oppofition  to  it !  There  are  more  ways 
than  I  pan  poffibly  enumerate,  by  which  men  deceive 
themfelves,  and  become  obllinatc  and  incorrigible  in 
what  is  evil,  by  millaking  it  for  what  is  good.  Juftly  does 
the  ApolUe,  in  this  pafiage,  warn  Chrifiian's  againft  be- 
ing hardened  ;  for  if  fin  can  hardly  be  reftrained,  even  by 
the  moft  conllant  vigilance,  ?.nd  tiie  mod  Heady  refiflance, 
what  progrefs  will  it  not  make,  what  fi;rength  mud  it  not 
ftcc^uire,  when  it  i?  approved  and  cherifhed,  nay,   when  it 


112  The  Deccitf Illness  of  Sin. 

is  profccuted  with  all  that  care  and  attention  which  ought 
to  have  been  employed  for  its  utter  deftruftion  ? 

2.  In  the  fecond  place,  The  deceitfulnels  of  fm,  ap- 
pears from  its  forming  excufes  for  itfelf,  and  thereby  ex- 
tenuating its  guilt.  That  it  is  natural  for  fmners  to  form 
excufes  for  themfelves,  and  endeavor  to  extenuate  their 
guilt,  daily  experience  is  a  fufficient  proof.  Nay,  it  is 
ufual  to  obfen^e,  hov/  able,  and  ingenious,  perfons, 
otherwife  of  no  great  capacity,  are  in  this  art ;  even  cliil- 
dren  difcover  the  greateft  quicknefs  and  facility  in  it,  and 
are  nofooner  challenged  for  any  thing  that  is  amlfs,  than 
they  are  ready  to  produce  an  apology.  The  difpofition, 
indeed,  feems  to  be  hereditary,  and  to  have  been  handed 
down  to  us  from  the  firft  parents  of  the  human  race.  On, 
their  being  challenged  for  their  difobedience,  each  of  them 
confeffes  the  fafi:,  but  immediately  adds  an  excufe,  Gen. 
iii.  II,  12,  13.  "  Haft  thou  eaten  of  the  tree,  where- 
*'  of  I  commanded  thee,  that  thou  fnouldeft  not  eat ;  And 
*'  the  man  faid,  the  woman  whom  thou  gaveft  to  be  with 
"  me,  flie  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.  And  the 
"  Lord  God  faid  unto  the  woman,  v/hat  is  this  that  thou 
"  haft  done  ?  And  the  woman  faid,  the  ferpent  beguiled 
"  me,  and  I  did  eat."  You  will  eafily  be  fenfible,  that  it  is 
impoffible  for  me  to  enumerate  the  feveral  excufes,  or  dif- 
tindl  alleviating  circumftances,  that  may  be  pleaded  in  fa- 
vor of  particular  fms,  becaufe  thele  are  infinitely  various. 
I  intend,  therefoi-e,  only  to  mention  fome  of  the  chief 
confiderations  that  are  offered  by  pretended  reafoners,  or 
have  a  fecret  influence  upon  the  mind  of  the  fmner ;  and 
Vv'hich  lelTen  the  impreffion  of  the  evil  of  fui  in  general. 

(i.)  One  excufe,  which,  however  weak,  has  no  fmall 
influence  in  fetting  men's  minds  at  eafe,  in  the  commif- 
fion  of  fm,  is  no  other  than  the  commonnefs  of  it ;  and 
that  there  are  multitudes  of  others  in  the  like  condition. 
It  is  wonderful  to  think  what  boldnefs  ftnners  often  de- 
rive from  this  circumftance,  and  how  hard  it  is  to  perfuade 
them  of  the  danger  of  what  is  common  and  generally  prac- 
tifed.  Even  good  men  are  often  carried  away  with  pre- 
vailing and  epidemical  fins.  We  may  take  the  iiluftra- 
tion  of  this  from  any  particular  fm.     How  ready  are  men 


The  Deceit  fulness  of  Sin.  113 

to  think,  and  even  to  fpcak,inthe  following  manner  ?  If  this 
be  a  fm,  I  am  fure  I  am  not  fmgular  in  it ;  there  arc  vi\i- 
ny  odiers  guilty  as  well  as  I.  They  feem  to  look  upon 
the  i^radlicc  of  others,  as  a  fort  of  fupport  and  jullificatiou 
of  their  own  condiid. 

But,  my  brethren,  1  befeech  you  to  confider  how  delufive 
and  dangerous  thele  thoughts  arc  to  }'our  immortal  Ibuls. 
If  any  credit  is  to  be  given  to  the  fcripture  reprefentation, 
the  human  race,  in  general,  is  under  guilt :  and  therefore, 
the  commonnel's,  nay,  the  univerfality  of  any  practice,  is 
not  fuliicient  to  give  it  a  ianction,  as  lawtul  and  fafe. 
Will  the  law  of  an  unchangeable  God  be  altered  or  aba- 
ted in  favor  of  his  apoftate  creatures,  becaufe  of  their  num- 
ber ?  Is  there  fuch  a  number  of  oflenders,  as  to  be  able  to 
make  head  againll  their  almighty  Creator  ?  Sometimes, 
indeed,  the  tranfgreffors  of  human  laws  are  fo  numerous, 
as  to  be  lormidable  to  tlieir  very  judges  ;  but  no  fuch  thing 
can  take  place  het  e.  Or  will  it,  in  truth,  be  any  confola- 
tion  to  th-j  fuHerers  in  hell,  diat  they  have  fociety  in  their 
torment  ?  Were  a  great  number  oi  maleiadtors  to  be  exe- 
cuted together,  would  this  alleviate  the  punilhment  to  any 
one  of  tliem  ?  I  apprehend  it  v/ould  rather  increafe  it, 
fmce  they  would,  in  a  good  meafure,  feel  each  others  luf- 
ferings  ;  as  it  certainly  would  add  greater  horror  to  the 
fight.  "Wherefore,  my  dear  brethren,  1  beleech  every 
one  of  you,  to  conlider  the  necellity  of  reconciliation  and 
peace  with  God,  and  that  it  is  not  lei's  important  and  ne- 
ceflary  to  you,  for  the  multitudes  you  fee  around  you  fo 
fall  aileep  hi  iecurity  and  floth. 

(2.)  Anodier  excufe  that  men  often  make  for  their  fins, 
is,  that  they  are  comparatively  fmall.  When  diey  fee, 
think,  or  hear  of  the  monUrous  and  atrocious  crimes  of 
others,  they  are  ready  to  blefs  themfelves  in  their  fecurity, 
and  to  reckon  upon  their  lefs  degree  of  guilt,  as  a  i'pecies 
of  innocence.  Believe  it,  my  brediren,  I  have  found, 
with  concern,  perfons  in  a  dangerous  ficknefs,  or  the  prof- 
pect  of  death,  taking  comfort  to  themfelves,  and  mention, 
ing,  with  much  fatisfaftion,  that  they  wei  e  not  fo  bad  as 
fome  others  ;  that  they  had  never  committed  this  or  the 
other  heinous  crime  ;  that  they  had  never  done  a§  this  o;- 


114  7^^  Deceitfulness  of  Sin. 

the  other  defperate  profligate  had  done,  with  whom  they 
were  acquainted.  To  all  fuch  we  may  juitiy  apply  the 
words  of  the  apoftle,  2  Cor,  x.  12.  ''  For  we  dare  not 
*'  make  ourfelves  of  the  number,  or  compare  ourfelves 
"  with  forne  that  commend  themfelves  :  but  they,  mea- 
"  furing  themfelves  by  themfelves,  and  comparing  them- 
"  felves  amongfl;  themfelves,  are  not  wife." 

There  is  a  wonderful  propenfity  in  the  proud  fpirit  of 
man,  to  gratify  itfelf  by  comparifon  with  others.  Com- 
parifon,  indeed,  is  the  very  fuel  of  pride  ;  for  of  what  are 
we  proud,  but  of  fomething  in  which  it  is  fuppofed  we  ex- 
cel. Is  there  any  thing  more  common  in  converfation, 
when  any  inflance  of  the  fm  or  folly  of  others  is  narrated, 
than  for  the  hearers,  everyone,  to  take  the  benefit  of  it 
to  himfelf,  and  to  fay,  I  am  fure  I  fhould  never  have  done 
fo  and  fo,  had  I  been  in  his  cafe.  Scarce  any  man  finds 
fault  with  another  for  his  conduct  in  his  Itation,  without 
blazoning  and  difplaying  his  own  real  or  imagined  exceL 
lence.  I  do  not  fay,  that  good  men  are  wholly  free  from 
this  fault ;  yet,  as  the  principlers  of  fin  and  grace  are  di- 
rectly oppofite,  in  general,  the  fame  views  that  make  a 
bad  man  proud,  tend  to  make  a  good  man  humble. 
The  grofs  fins  of  others,  which  incline  carelefs  perfons  to 
glory,  that  they  are  free  from  the  charge,  often  tend  to 
difcover  to  the  Chriftian  the  finfulnefs  of  his  nature,, 
which  is  capable  of  fuch  impiety.  They  fill  him  with 
humble  adoration,  and  thankfulnefs  to  that  gracious  God, 
who  only  maketh  him  to  differ.  He  knows,  that  had  he 
been  left  to  himfelf,  he  might  have  exceeded  the  moft 
abandoned  profligate  within  the  compafs  of  his  knovy-. 
ledge. 

Let  me  therefore,  n\y  brethren,  caution  you  and  my- 
felf  againft  all  excufes  drawn  from  comparifon  in  any  form.. 
For,  not  to  mention  how  ready  we  are  to  mifl:ake  and  be 
partial  to  ourfelves  in  making  the  comparifon  :  not  to 
mention  that,  though  we  were  ever  fo  impartial,  as  the 
hearts  of  others  are  not  open  to  us,  nor  the  motives  of 
their  conduct,  we  cannot  make  it  with  certainty,  I  only 
infift,  that  all  comparifons,  whether  they  be  juft  or  unjuft, 
are  unfpeakably  pernicious.     It  is  not  your  being  bettejp 


The  Deceitfulness  vf  Sin.  <  1 5 

»r  worfc  than  others,  that  will  juflify  you  before  God,  or 
be  the  matter  of  inquiry  at  the  lull  clay.  You  will  not  then 
be  afked,  whether  you  were  as  profane  a  blafphemer  as 
fuch  a  perfon  ?  as  great  a  liar  as  another?  as  great  a  drunk- 
ard as  another  ?  as  great  a  whoremonger  as  another  ?  No. 
You  mud  be  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  fandluary, 
and  all  that  are  there  found  wanting,  fliall  be  call  into  the 
lake  of  fire.  You  may  leave  it  to  a  wife  and  righteous 
God  to  proportion  the  feverity  of  his  judgment  to  the  a- 
trocioufnefs  of  the  fmner's  guilt.  *'  But  except  a  man  be 
"  born  again,  he  cannot  lee  the  kingdom  of  God/'  A  man 
may  be  drowned  in  five  fathom  water,  as  well  as  in  five 
thoufand  ;  and,  therefore,  let  none  fooliftily  flatter  them- 
felves  with  the  hope  of  fecurity,  even  though  they  really 
fee  many  (to  fpeak  in  the  language  of  fcripture)  "  tenfold 
**  more  the  children  of  hell  than  themfelves." 

(3.)  Sinners  are  apt  to  look  for  another  fource  of  excufes 
for  their  fins  in  themfelves.  They  ai"e  ilrongly  inclined 
to  make  a  merit  of  any  adlions  they  have  done  that  are 
materially  good,  and  think  that  fome  indulgence  is  due  to 
their  faults  and  mifcarriagcs  on  that  account*  They  fet 
their  good  works  and  their  faults,  as  it  were,  in  oppofite 
columns,  as  if  they  intended,  in  that  manner,  to  flrike 
the  balance.  There  is  very  much  ofthicdifpofition  in  the 
natural  unenlightened  mind.  We  find  many  fentiments 
fimilar  to  this  in  the  heathen  world.  *  Every  man,'  fays  a 
certain  author,  '  has  fome  virtues,  and  fome  faults  ;  he 

*  that  hath  more  virtues  tlian  faults,  is  a  good   man  ;  and 

*  he  that  hath  more  faults  than  virtues,  is  a  bad  man.'  I  am 
fenfible  there  might  be  fome  jullice  in  fuch  a  comparifon, 
after  a  perfon  has  really  been  brought  to  the  fervice  of  God 
upon  genuine  principles.  It  might  then  ferve  to  \\\tvf 
whether  God  or  the  world  hath  moil  of  our  prevailing 
love,  and  our  habitual  fervice.  But  this  rule  is  highly  per- 
nicious, when  an  ignorant  or  vitious  man  endeavors  to 
apply  it:  for,  firfl:  of  all,  thefe  very  actions,  which  they 
fuppofe  to  be  good,  not  flowing  from  a  real  principle  of 
obedience  to  God,  are  falfely  reckoned  virtues  in  them*  O 
that  felf-righteous  perfons  would  but  faithfully  examine 
the  motives   from  which  many  of  their  boailed  virtues 


11.6  The  Decc'itf Illness  of  Shi, 

flow  !  The  more  they  knew  of  themfelves,  and  their  own 
real  charailer^  the  lels  would  they  be  mclined  to  glory  in 
its  excellence  and  perfetSlion.  It  is  certain,  that  even  in 
the  world,  the  more  a  man  prefum.es  to  commend  him- 
felf,  the  lefs  others  are  dlfpoled  to  elleem  him  ;  and  is  it 
not  ftrange,  that  the  felf-juftifi cation,  which  is  infufierable 
to  om'  fellow  creatures,  Ihould  be  the  foundation  of  our 
hope  before  a  holy  and  heart-fearching  God  ? 

But,  befides,  I  befeech  your  attention  to  the  following 
circumftance  :  even  the  falfe  fuppofition,  juft  now  men- 
tioned, proceeds  upon  an  abfolute  millake  of  the  nature  of 
moral  obligation.  There  is  no  proper  m.erit  in  the  obe- 
dience of  a  creature,  neither  hath  it,  in  the  leail  degi'ee, 
any  title  or  tendency  to  eAtinguiih  the  guilt  of  crimes.  If 
elleem,  love,  and  obedience,  all  in  the  higheil  degree,  be 
truly  and  properly  due  unto  God,  no  reward  can  be  plead- 
ed for  on  account  of  the  performance,  much  lefs  can  it  have 
the  effedl  of  procuring  pardon  where  duty  hath  been  ne- 
glected. Let  me  beg  of  you  to  refledl  upon  a  matter  of 
experience,  which  is  but  feldom  attended  to.  Does  the 
general  goodnefs  of  a  man's  charafter  incline  even  the 
world  to  indulge  him  in  more  bad  actions  than  another  : 
It  does  juft  the  contrary.  A  man,  who  hath  been  eminent 
in  piety  during  a  long  eourfe  of  years,  if  he  goes  ailray  in 
any  one  inftance,  will  be  more  deeply  reproached,  and 
his  character  will  fuffer  more  by  it,  1  m.ay  even  fay,  it  will 
fuffer  an  hundred-fold  more  for  the  fame  aftion,  than  the 
character  of  another  whole  conducl  has  been  niore  imper- 
fect and  unequal. 

I  look  upon  it  as  the  duty  of  a  mlnifler  to  bend  his 
whole  force  againil  a  difpofition  to  felf-righteoufnefs.  And, 
indeed,  whetiier  we  take  it  from  fcripture  or  rea.fon,  we 
Ihall  fee  that  the  kope  of  a  fmner  mult  arile  not  from  ex- 
tenuation, but  confeffion ;  not  from  human  merit,  but 
from  the  divine  mercy.  This  is  io  plain,  that  had  men 
but  any  real  and  jull  conviftions  of  their  obligations  and 
duty  to  God,  fuch  a  plea  v.  ould  never  come  into  their 
minds.  Suppofe  any  perfon  were  challenged  for  a  debt 
which  he  was  really  owing,  and  he  ihould  anfwer  in  this 
manner,  It  is  very  true,  1  have  not  paid  th'is ;  but  I  paid 


7^(f  Beceitf Illness  of  Sin.  117 

a  debt  to  you  at  fuch  a  time,  and  another  at  fucha  time, 
iind  a  third  at  fuch  a  time  ;  would  it  not  be  natural  for 
the  other  to  reply,  True  indeed  ;  but  were  not  all  thefe 
debts  feparately  due  ?  will  your  paying  one  difcharge  you 
from  another  ?  is  not  this  as  much  due  now  as  any  of  the 
reli  were  before  ?  If  therefore  you  will  give  the  fame  juf- 
tice  to  your  Maker,  you  expe6l  from  another,  you  nmft 
coiilcfs  that  a  whole  life  ofperfeft  and  fpotlefs  obedience 
would  dojuft  nothing  at  all  to  extinguifli  the  guilt  of  the 
lealHin.  Be  not  therefore  fo  foolilh  as  to  reft  your  hope 
on  that  felf-righteoufnefs,  which,  in  truth,  is  no  better 
than  filthy  rags,  and  however  excellent  and  perfe6l  it 
were,  could  have  no  effe^l:  in  procuring  the  forglvenefs  of 
fin. 

(4.)  There  are  fome  to  be  found,  who  endeavor  to  cx- 
cufe  their  a6tual  tranfgreffions,  as  being  no  more  than  the 
ncceflary  effefts  of  original  fin.  This  we  find  frequently 
done  by  diofe  who  are  no  friends  to  religion  in  general, 
and,  perhaps,  believe  as  little  ofthe  reality  of  original  as 
the  guilt  of  a6lual  fin.  In  fuch,  therefore,  it  is  no  more 
than  a  pretence,  that  they  may  rid  themlelves  of  the  ap- 
prehenfionof  both.  But  there  are  alfo  fome  who  do  not 
ieem  to  be  enemies  in  principle  to  the  truths  ofthe  gofpel, 
who  yet  are  very  ready  to  excufe  thcmfelves  for  particular 
fins,  by  laying  the  blame  upon  their  nature  in  general.  It 
is  my  nature,  they  will  fay  ;  I  have  fo  ftrong  a  difpofition 
to  it,  that  I  cannot  help  it.  Thus  they  feem  to  fit  quite 
eafy  under  the  dominion  of  fin,  and,  by  giving  up  all 
hope  of  overcoming  it,  are  led  to  forbear  all  endeavors  to 
refift  it. 

On  this  I  cannot  help  obferving,  again,  how  oppoQte 
the  principles  of  fin  andholinefs  are.  The  fin  of  our  na- 
ture, which,  in  true  penitents,  is  matter  of  humiliation 
and  forrow,  is  often  produced  by  others,  as  an  extenuati- 
on of  their  crimes.  See  how  the  Pfalmifl  David  exprefles 
himfelf,  Pfal.  li.  5.  "  Behold,  I  was  fliapen  in  iniquity; 
"  and  in  fin  did  my  mother  conceive  me."  Thefe  words 
were  not  fpoken  by  way  of  alleviation,  but  confeflion  and 
aggravation.  In  the  fame  fpirit  does  the  apoltle  Paul  fpeak 
in  a  great  part  of  the  ieventh  chapter  of  the  Eplftle  to  the 

Vol.  II.  P 


iiS  The  Decehfiihiess  of  Sin , 

Romans,  particularly  verfcs  14, 24.  "  For  vre  knoiv' 

"  that  the  law  is  fpiritual ;  but  I  am  carnal,  fold  under  fin. 
"  For  that  which  I  do,  I  allow  not :  for  what  1  would,  that 
"  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  tliat  do  I.  If  then  I  do  that 
"  which  I  would  not,  1  confent  unto  the  lav/,  that  it  is 
"  good.  Now,  then,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  fm  that 
"  dwelleth  in  me.  For  I  know  that  in  me  (that  is,,  in  my 
*'  fleih)  dwelleth  no  good  thing:  for  to  will  is  prefent  with 
"  me  ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  find  not. 
"  For  the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not;  but  the  evil  which 
*'  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  Now,  if  I  do  that  I  v/ould  not, 
*'  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  fin  that  dwelleth  in  me.  I 
"  find  then  a  law,  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  pre- 
"  font  with  me:  for  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the 
*'  inward  man.-  But  I  fee  another  lav/  in  my  members, 
"  warring  againft  the  law  of  iny  mind,  tind  bringing  me 
*'  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  fm,  which  is  in  my  mem- 
*'  bers.  O  wretched  man  that  I  ani !  who  lliall  deliver 
*'  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ? 

That  there  is  fomething  myfterious  in  the  fifll  occafion 
and  conveyance  of  original  fm,  on  which  captious  perfons' 
may  raife  cavils,  to  perplex  themfelves  and  others,  I  rea- 
dily allow.  But,  after  all  they  can  fay,  it  is  certain,  both 
from  fcripture  and  experience,  that  all  a6lual  fin  is  not" 
only  perfonal  but  voluntary.  Js  there  any  perfon,  who 
will  dare  to  maintain,  in  the  face  of  his  Supreme  Judge, 
that  he  is  laid  under  cempulfion,  or  an  irrefilHble  necelTi- 
ty,  to  think,  fpeak,  or  do  what  is  wrong  ?  Does  any  man 
commit  fin,  but  from  his  own  choice  ':  Or  is  he  hindered 
from  the  performance  of  any  duty  to  which  he  is  fincerely 
and  heartily  inclined  ?  If  this  were  indeed  the  cafe,  it 
tvould  not  be  true,  what  we  are  told  in  the  facred  oracles, 
that  God  will  be  '-'•  jafl  when  he  fpeaketh,  and  clear  when 
*'  he  judgeth."" 

I  muft  alfo  obferve,  that,  upon  the  plan  of  the  gofpel, 
the  force  of  this  excufe  is  entirely  taken  away ;  becaule 
the  rennovation  of  our  natures  is  there  afcribed  to  the 
power  and  energy  of  divine  grace.  Though  we  are  not- 
able to  reform  our  natures,  God  is  able  to  renew  them.- 
Though  we  cannot  refift  corruption,  God  is  able  to  iuh- 


The  Demtfulncss  of  sin.  ii^r 

due  it.  Our  weak  and  helplefs  {late  by  nature,  is  fo  % 
from  bciii'.'"  a  proper  excufe  for  fin,  that  a  juil  and  liurri- 
blinjTj  rcnfo  oHt  is  the  very  fird  fiej)  towards  a  recovery. 
"  Oi'ourfclves,  we  are  not  able  to  do  any  good  thing,  but 
*'  through  Ghrid  {lren,<^lhening  us  wc  may  do  all  diin.?;s." 
We  are  exliorted  to  pray  for  the  influences  of  die  Spirit, 
in  the  fure  hope  of  acceptance  :  "  Afk,  and  ye  lliall  rc- 
"  ceive  ;  feek,  and  ye  /hall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  fliall  bo 
"  opened  unto  you."  So  that,  on  the  prevailing  of  fin, 
we  have  juft  realbn  to  take  tlae  whole  blame  upon  our- 
felves,  and  to  fay,  "  We  are  not  ftraitened  in  God,  but 
"  llraitened  in  our  owi)  bowels." 

(5.)  In  the  lalt  place,  fome  are  bold  enough  to  excuse 
their  fins,  as  being  only  thp  cfTecls  of  the  irrefiftible  will  of 
God,  who  hath  decreed  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs;  fome  in  a 
more  artful  and  covered  way ;  and  fome  more  openly  and 
explicitly  make  ufe  of  Cod's  abfolute  predeteruiination  of 
every  event,  as  taking  away  the  guilt  of  their  voluntary 
adlions.  This  hath  been  a  very  old  excufe.  It  was  the 
fpirit  of  that  language  you  find,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  10.  "  Therc- 
"•  fore,  O  thou  fou  of  man,  fpeak  unto  the  houfe  of  Ifrael, 
"  thus  ye  fpeak,  faying,  if  our  tranfa<^i;ions  and  our  fins  be 
"  upon  us,  and  wc  pine  away  in  them,  how  fliould  wc 
*'  then  live  :"  The  fame  thing  is  mentioned  by  the  apof- 
i\c  Paul,  Rom.  ix,  19.  *'  Thou  v\dlt  fay  then  unto  me, 
"■'  why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  for  who  hath  refilled  hig 
"  will  r"  This  infamous  and  blafphemous  excufe  is  not 
only  often  made  for  particular  fias,  but  is  made  a  pillov/ 
of  lloth  in  general,  and  finners  lay  themfelves  alleep  upon 
it  in  fccurity,  faying,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God,  they  fliouki 
be  faved,  the  event  is  infallible,  let  them  take  ever  fo  dcf- 
pcrate  a  courfe  ;  and  if  othcrwife,  it  i§  impofllble  for  them 
10  oppofe  his  irrefiilible  decree. 

I^  order  to  oppofe  diis  profane  perverfion  of  divine 
truth,  let  me  put  you  in  mind,  what  fin  and  folly  it  mull: 
be  in  us,  to  fet  the  nature  of  God  at  variance  with  his  re- 
vealed will,  or  one  declaration  of  his  in  oppofition  to  ano- 
ther. It  is  from  the  fcriptures  alone,  diat  you  learn 
(ipd's  fijprcme  4omia:oii  and  appointment  of  every  event 


120  The  Deceit/illness  of  Sin. 

And  is  it  not  certain,  that  the  fame  Icriptures  do  lay  the 
guilt  or  fmfulnefs  of  every  adlion  to  the  finner's  charge  ? 
Does  not  God  abfolutely  refufe,  nay,  in  infinite  conde- 
fcenfion,  he  folemnly  protefls  againfl  having  it  imputed  to 
himfelf.  Let  the  guilty  hear  and  tremble,  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
II.  "  As  I  live,  faith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleafure  in 
*'  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
.*'  his  way  and  live.  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  from  your  evil 
^  ways;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  houfe  of  Ifrael  !"  And 
again,  James  i.  13.  "  Let  no  man  fay,  when  he  ig  tempt- 
"  ed,  I  am  tempted  of  God  ;  for  God  cannot  be  tempted 
"  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man."  Perhaps, 
fome  will  fay,  we  cannot  reconcile  the  certainty  of  events 
with  the  freedom  of  adlions,  or  the  imputation  of  guilt. 
But  what  is  this,  but  faying  we  are  not  able  to  fathom  or 
comprehend  the  perfeftions  of  an  infinite  God  ?  And  is 
this  any  caufe  of  wonder  ?  It  would  not  be  the  true  God, 
if  you  could  fearch  him  out ;  it  would  not  be  the  Almighty, 
if  you  could  find  him  to  perfe6lion.  "  It  is  higher  than  hea- 
*'  ven,what  canft  thou  do?  deeper  than  hell,  what  canil  tliou 
*'  know  ?  The  meafure  thereof  is  longer  than  the  earth, 
"  and  broader  than  the  fea." 

Surely,  my  brethren,  it  is  manlfefi,  that  the  fame  God, 
to  whom  all  his  works  are  known  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  and  who  rules  by  his  power,  for  ever,  hath  ella- 
bliflied  a  necefiary  connedlion  between  the  means  and  the 
end,  between  the  caufe  and  effect.  And,  as  it  would  be 
altogether  madnefs  in  common  life,  to  fit  ftill  and  forbear 
activity  and  diligence,  under  pretence  of  its  being  impof- 
fible  to  hinder  or  alter  the  will  of  God  ;  fo  it  is  ec[ually 
mad  and  impious,  to  lay  the  blame  of  our  finful  hearts  and 
inclinations  on  the  appointment  of  God.  He  can  and 
doth  control  and  over-rule,  by  his  fovereign  providence, 
all  his  creatures,  and  all  their  aftions,  in  a  fubferviency 
to  his  own  glory  ;  but,  as  to  the  finfulnefs  of  every  deed,, 
the  finner  alone  is  chargeable  v/ith  it,  and,  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  the  finner  alone  mull  anfwer  for  it. 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  third  branch  of  the  deceitfulnefs 
of  fin,  I  muft  beg  your  attention  to  a  few  obfervations  on 
what  hath  been  already  faid.     And, 


The  Deceitfidncss  oj  Sin.  12% 

ifi,  You  may  ohferve  how  various  and  involved,  and 
}iow  deep-laid  the  excufes  for  fin  are.  The  ways  of  the 
world,  the  general  prevaleiiee  ol'  fin,  and  many  of  thele 
very  circumllanees  which  ought  to  make  us  dread  its  influ- 
ence, and  fdl  us  with  abhorrence  of  it,  are  frequently 
made  ufe  of  to  extenuate  its  guilt.  The  corrupt  incline- 
tion  of  our  hearts,  which  is  the  fource  of  all  fin,  and  may 
be  faid  \o  be  the  efl'ence  of  fin,  is  often  made  ufe  of  to  ex- 
cufe  or  palliate  its  eflcQs,  as  the  badnefs  of  the  tree  for  the 
fournefs  of  the  grapes.  How  ill  qualified  are  we  to  judge 
fairly  on  fuch  a  fubjecl  ?  We  are  partial  in  our  own  caule, 
and  give  an  unjult  dccifion  from  our  relation  to  the  pan- 
nel.  Down  then  with  the  realbnings  of  the  carnal  mind. 
Sufpe6l  them,  dread  them,  ftnit  your  ears  againfl:  them. 
What  reafon  is  there  to  fit  down  in  lilence,  and  humbly  ac- 
quiefce  in  the  account  given  us  of  our  charafter,  and  Hate, 
by  a  God  of  infinite  holinefs  ?  There  is  no  error  to  blind 
his  judgment,  no  intereil  to  bias  his  inclination,  and  there 
is  no  equal  who  may  contend  or  enter  into  judgment  with 
him. 

2dly,  You  may  fee  that  the  excufes  for  fin,  are  not  only 
infufficient,  but  deeply  criminal.  In  the  form  they  af- 
fume,  they  may  appear  plaufible ;  but,  when  they  are 
Ib-ipped  of  their  difguife,  they  will  appear  to  be  horrible. 
The  immediate  pretence  may  appear  to  have  nothing 
"/ery  atrocious  in  it  ;  but  when  they  are  traced  to  their 
fource,  they  will  be  found  to  take  their  rife  from  the  mofl: 
malignant  infidelity  or  atheifm  in  the  heart.  You  fee, 
from  what  has  been  faid,  that  many  excufes  for  fin,  at  laft, 
land  in  laying  the  blanie  upon  God  himfelf.  All  the  en- 
couragement we  take  in  fin,  from  the  divine  patience,  all 
our  abufe  or  perverfion  of  the  gifts  of  nature,  or  the  courfe 
of  providence,  lands  ultimately  here.  I^t  us  therefore 
pray,  that  it  may  pleafe  God  to  open  our  eyes  on  the  won- 
ders of  his  law,  on  the  riches  of  his  grace,  and  the  great- 
nefs  of  his  power.  Let  us  confefs,  that  ''  to  us  belongeth 
*'  fliame  and  confufion  of  face  ;  but  to  our  God  belongeth 
*'  mercy."  Let  us  adopt  the  words  of  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal. 
six.  1.2.  "  Who  can  underftand  his  errors  ?  Cleanfe  thou 
"  me  from  fecret  faults." 


J23  Tbe  Deceitfuhiess  of  Sin. 

3.  I  proceed,  now,  to  the  third  and  laft  branch  of  the 
deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  viz.  Its  infmuating  nature,  by  which 
it  leads  men  on,  in  an  infenfible  manner,  from  one  degree 
of  wickednefs  to  a  higher,  and,  after  the  voluntary  com- 
fniflion  of  fome  fins,  lays  them  under  a  fort  of  neceffity  of 
pqmmitting  more,  J  think  it  is  probable  that  the  ApoHle 
had  this  particularly  in  his  view  in  the  text,  where  he  fays, 
JLxhort  one  another  daily,  ivbile  it  is  called,  to-day ;  lest 
fluy  of  yon  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfidncss  of  sin. 
And  cer:ain  it  is,  my  brethren,  that  wicked  men  do  not 
fee  the  whole  courfe  they  are  to  run  at  one  view,  but  are 
drawn  in  by  little  and  little.  Take  the  moll  abandoned 
fmner  in  this  guilty  world,  and  there  v/as  a  time  of  hig 
Jife  when  he  would  have  trembled  to  tliink  of  the  crimeg 
which  he  afterwards  committed,  Thus  Hjizael,  King  of 
Syria,  when  he  was  told  by  the  prophet  Elillia,  of  the  unr 
natural  barbarity  and  cruelty  he  would  be  guilty  of  among 
the  children  of  Ifracl,  he  could  not  believe  fo  ill  of  him- 
felf,  but  anfwered,  with  a  kind  of  abhorrence,  "  What,  is 
■'  thy  fervant  a  dog,  that  he  ihould  do  this  great  thing  ?" 
But  fuch  is  the  nature  of  fin,  that  it  carries  men  away,  if 
they  yield  to  it,  infinitely  farther  then  they  themfelves  in- 
tended. We  find  this  taken  notice  of  by  moral  writcrq 
in  every  age  and  countr)%  Many  of  the  ancients  ufed  to 
reprefent  it  by  avery  expreffive  fimilitude,  viz.  that  the 
way  of  vice  lies  down  hi]l ;  fo  that  if  you  take  but  a  few 
fleps,  the  motion  is  foon  accelerated,  and  becomes  fo  vio- 
lent and  impetuous,  that  it  is  impoifible  for  you  to  refift  it. 

This  is  certainly  acircumilance,  withrefpeft  to  the  na- 
ture of  fm,  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  practical  religi- 
on,- and  to  which  I  would  particularly  intreat  the  attention 
of  the  younger  part  of  my  audience.  Neither  is  it  un- 
fuitable  to  perfons  of  any  charatSer,  as  it  will  contribute  to 
enforce,  upon  their  minds,  a  fenfe  of  the  neceffity  of  con- 
fiant  vigilance,  and  of  conllant  prayer.  In  order  to  re- 
prefent the  matter  to  you  in  the  llronger  light,  I  fliall  en- 
deavor to  lay  before  you  fome  of  the  chief  fteps  andgrada- 
.tions  by  which  a  fmner  is  brought  into  a  hardened  ftate  ; 
,p,nd  fliow  how  naturally,  and  in  a  manner  neceflariiy,  they 
leacj  Ijim  forward  from  one  to  another, 


fhc  Deceit  fulness  of  Shi.  i  5  3 

(i.)  Men  enter  and  initiate  themfelves  in  a  vitioUA 
praaice  by  fmaller  fins.     Though  every  fin  hath  that  ma- 
lignity in  it  that  it  defervcs  God's  wrath   and  curfe  both 
in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  come  ;  yet  there  are  fome 
fins,  which,  in  themlblves,  as  well  as  from  fcveral   cir- 
cumftanccs  which  attend  them,  are  far  more  heinous  in 
the  fight  of  God  than  others.     Thefe  are  too  alarming  to 
the  confcience  of  a  young  finner ;  and,  therefore,  he  only 
ventures  upon  fuch  as   are  fmaller  at  iirft.     I  hope  you 
will  not  think  it  too  minute  or  trifling,  if  I  mention  that 
every  particular  kind  of  vice  creeps  in  in  this  gradual  man^ 
ner.     Many  have  bcgim  to  Ileal,  with  taking  away  things 
without  tlieir  p?.rents  knowledge,  from  their  own  Jioufc, 
thinking  there  could  be  little  foult  in  this  ;  and  then  pick- 
ed  up  fmall  things,  perhaps,  from  people  of  better  rank, 
faying  to  themfelves,  they  will  nev^r  be  the  worfe  of  it, 
they  can  eafily  fpare  it ;  but  time  has  perfe6tcd  them  in 
their  trade,  till  they  ended  their  days  upon  a  fcaffoldj 
Some  have  begun  with  little  arts  of  equivocation,  and  con- 
cealing the  truth,  who,  in  time,  came  to  boldnefs  and  ob- 
llinacy  in  grofs  falfehood.     And  many  have  begun  with 
levity  of  carriage,  and  vanity  of  drefs,  who  have  ended  in 
lull,  whoredom,  and   open  prollitution.     My  brethren, 
though  we  are  all  born  in  fin,  and  powerfully  inclined  td 
that  which  is  evil,  from  our  firll  entrance  into  the  world  ; 
yet  we  have  alfo  a  witnefs  for  God  in  our  own   confci- 
cnces.     There   fecms  to  be  fome  rclu6tance  in  the  firll 
connnilfion  of  fin  ;  fome  Ibrrow  and  regret  for  departing 
innocence.     It  is  a  faying  of  one  of  the  lieatliens,  "  Nci 
"■  man  becomes  all  of  a  fudden  very  wicked!"  or,  if  I 
may  ufe  the  exprelTion,  is  made  perfedt  in  fm.     It  ufually 
takes  fome  time,  and  is  carried  onbyptogrefsand  improve^ 
ment,  though  fome,  alas!  make   wonderful  proficiency 
in  it,  and  advance  at  a  very  gT;eat  pace.     Thefe  lefler  fins< 
then,  are  the  introdu^ion  and  preparation  for  what  after- 
wards fhall  follow  ;  tbey  begin  the  attack  upon  confcience, 
which,  at  lall,  ends  in  a  total  overthrow  and  defeat. 

(2.)  Let  us  now  follow  the  finner  to  the  next  llage  of 
his  unhappy  courfe.  Having  once  begun  in  the  v/ays  of 
fin,  he  ventures  upon  fouiething  gi-eater  and  more  darins  ? 


124  The  Deceitfulness  of  Sin. 

his  courage  grows  with  his  experience;  and  he  gives  himfelf 
more  hberty  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  his  own  heart,  and  the 
fight  of  his  own  eyes.  Now,  fins  of  a  deeper  dye  do  not 
look  fo  frightful  as  before.  The  reafon  of  this  is  plain,  or 
rather  there  are  many  reafons  which  concur  in  producing 
this  eifeft.  Cuftom  makes  every  thing  familiar,  even  to 
defpifing  the  authority  of  God,  and  counteracting  the 
ilrongeil  obligations.  Sinners,  after  fome  apprenticeiliip 
to  this  infamous  trade  commit  fach  fms  as  lay  wafte  the 
confcience,  and  offer  the  greateft  violence  to  their  o\vn 
minds  ;  tlieie  ftill  lead  forward  to  others,  and  to  every  new 
tranfgreffion,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  they  are  driven  by  a  Wrong- 
er inclination,  and  with-held  by  a  weaker  refiftance.  No 
fm  comes  by  itfelf  alone,  but  Hands  in  clofe  connexion 
with  many  others.  Some  fins  teach  us  how  to  commit 
others,  as  well  as  afford  an  opportunity  to  do  it.  I  have 
heard  of  a  fervant  who  went  into  an  apartment  with  no 
other  intention  than  U)  gratify  appetite,  by  making  free 
"with  fome  fweat-meats,  but  happening  to  fee  fomething 
very  valuable  lying  open,  which  might  be  eafily  conceal- 
ed, could  not  refill  the  temptation,  but  commenced  thief, 
and,  come,  at  lafl,  to  a  miferable  end.  Many  fins  alfo 
bring  others  after  them.,  as  excufes  to  cover  them.  So 
that  no  perfon,  w^ho  once  breaks  over  the  limits  of  clear 
and  unqueftionable  duty,  knows  how  far  he  may  be  carri- 
ed before  he  returns  back,  or  rather  whether  he  may  not 
be  fo  deeply  involved,  as  never  to  return  at  all.  This 
leads  me  to  obferve, 

(3.)  That  open  fins  foon  throw  a  man  into  the  hands- 
of  ungodly  companions.  This  effe6^  is  ncctdkry,  becaufe 
they  determine  his  characiler ;  and,  according  to  the  old 
obfervation,  thole  of  like  difpofition,  by  a  natural  and  pow- 
erful inftinct,  are  led  to  afibciate  together.  No  fooner  do 
men  begin  to  take  liberties  in  their  conduft,  than  they  be- 
gin to  iliun  the  fociety  of  good  men  ;  the  prefence  of  fuch 
is  a  refiraint  upon  them  ;  their  example  is  a  reproof  to 
them,  and  awakens;  any  principle  of  confcience,  which 
yet  retnains  unfubdued,  to  reproach  and  fiing  them; 
whereas,  in  fociety  like  themfelves,  they  are  greatly  em- 
boldened, by  feeing  vice  praftifed,  and  by  hearing  it  jufti- 


The  Deccltfulness  of  S'm,  125 

fied.  Behold  the  finncr,  then,  with  corrupt  com  mini  Ica- 
tioii  as  well  as  corrupt  inclination !  The  danger  of  this 
we  are  warned  of  by  the  apoftle  Paul,  i  Cor.  xv.  33. 
'*  Be  not  d;^ceivcd  ;  evil  coriimunications  corrupt  good 
"  manners."  As  united  fires  burn  the  fiercer  and  the 
(Ironger;  h  a  linful  Ibciety  improves  and  grows  in  im- 
piety, and  every  member  joins  his  brother's  pollution  to 
his  ovvn.  It  is  not  eafy  to  fay,  hov/  much  profane  com- 
panions are  inftrumental  in  reciprocally  undoing  one  ano- 
ther. But  fiirely  if  thofe,  otherwife  \'irtuous,  are  often 
in  danger  of  being  led  av/ay  with  the  error  of  the  wicked, 
much  more  muft  they  who  are  themfelves  fo  difpofed,  and 
are  every  whit  as  ready  to  follow  a  bad  advice  or  example, 
as  others  are  to  give  it, 

I  cannot  forbear  adding  upon  this  fubjecl,  that  feriouf- 
\y  difpofed  perfons  are  as  much  afraid  of  the  Ibciety  of 
loofe  perfons,  as  they  are  impatient  of  theirs.  This  makes 
the  feparation  ftill  more  complete.  Andeven  when  they  are 
cccafionally  joined.,  the  fear  of  calling  their  pearls  before 
fwine,  who  may  trample  them  under  their  feet,  and  turii 
again  and  rend  them,  often  fhuts  their  mouths.  It  pre- 
vents t!:em  from  giving  that  falutary  inllruclion,  and  ufe- 
ful  admonition,  which  their  heart  might  didlate,  or  the 
necclfity  of  the  cafe  might  require.  I  confefs,  my  breth- 
ren, v/hen  I  confider  the  unfpeakable  advantages  for  true 
piety,  which  arife  from  the  relation,  tlie  company,  or  the 
friendflfip  of  eminent  Chrifiians,  it  fills  me  with  the  deep- 
ell  concern  for  thofe  unhappy  perlbns,  wh.o,  by  their  con- 
daft,  and  circumllansjcs,  are  necelTarily  deprived  of  eve- 
ry thing  of  this  kind,  nay,  are  daily  ex  poled  to  all  the 
contrary  fnares.  I  dare  fay,  not  a  fev/  in  this  aflcmblr 
will  bear  witnefs,  as  I  defne  to  do  with  inward  gratitude 
to  God,  what  infinite  benefit  arifes  from  die  fociety  of  the 
e::cellcTU  ones  of  the  earth ;  to  have  been  inllrufted  and 
trained  up  by  pious  parents  in  the  fear  of  God;  to  have 
had  your  lot  call  in  a  family  which  was  a  lioufe  of  prayer ; 
to  have  the  faithful  admonitions  of  a  truly  confcicntiou? 
♦Vicnd ;  and  to  have  the  daily  edifying,  retraining,  comr 
porting,  animating  example  of  an  eminent  Cln-lIHan,  as 
■     Vol.  II,  Q^ 


126  *        The  Decchfulness  of  Shi. 

well  as  a  fliare  in  his  fervePxt  prayers.  Nay,  I  will  fay 
more,  the  very  precious  remembrance  of  fuch,  after  they 
have  entered  into  refl",  whether  parents,  children,  friends, 
or  neighbours,  has  the  nobleil  and  happieil  effeft  in  re- 
proving our  floth,  and  llirring  us  up  to  be  "  followers  of 
*'  them,  v/ho,  throup^h  faith  and  patience,  (^lo  nov/  inherit 
*'  the  p-omifes."  Hov/  miferable  thofe  v.'ho  are  wholly 
ignorant  of  every  fuch  privilege  !  How  deceitful  is  fm, 
Vv'hich  daily  adminiiiers  the  moil:  deadly  poifon,  and,  at 
the  very  fame  time,  clofes  up  the  Vv'ay  on  every  fide,  and 
debars  the  infetted  victim  from  every  mean  that  might  con- 
tribute to  his  cure  I 

(4.)  In  the  next  fl:age,  tlie  fumer  begins  to  feel  the 
force  af  habit  and  inveterate  cuftom.  The  frequent  re- 
petition of  ads  of  fin  conftitutes  a  habit.  How  pov/erful 
this  is,  and  hard  to  be  overcome,  experience  is  a  daily 
itanding  proof.  We  are  warned  of  the  danger  of  habitu- 
al wickednefs  in  many  paffages  of  fcripture,  particularly 
Jer.  xii.  5.  "  If  thou  hall  run  with  the  footmen,  and  they 
*'  have  wearied  thee,  then  hov/  canft  thou  contend  with 
"  horfes  ?  and  if,  in  the  land  of  peace,  wherein  thou  trull- 
"  edfi:,  they  wearied  thee,  then  how  wilt  thou  do  in  the 
*'  fweliing  of  Jordan  ?"  Chap.  xiii.  23.  "  Can  the  Ethi- 
"  opian  change  his  fkin,  or  the  leopard  his  fpots  ?  then 
*'  may  ye  alfo  do  good,  that  are  accuilomed  to  do  evil.'* 
Nature  itfelf,  in  this,  as  in  many  other  inftances,  is  full 
of  fpiritual  iuflruftion.  Habits  of  any  indifferent  kind, 
v/hen  once  efrablifhed,  can  hardly  be  overcome  even  by 
the  greateii;  effort  of  refolution  ;  even  any  motion  of  the 
body,  or  any  particular  word  or  phrafe  in  difcourfe,  if 
once  they  have  laken  place  by  cufiom,  are  hardly  ever 
laid  down.  But,  it  mull  be  obferved,  that  habits  of  fin 
are  not  onl}'-  infinitely  more  hurtful  than  habits  of  a  com- 
mon kind,  but  they  are  alfo  much  more  obllinate.  They 
fall  in  with  the  bent  and  difpofition  of  corrupt  nature  ;  and, 
therefore,  are  like  a  double  cord,  not  eafily  broken. 

Behold  then  the  finner  rooted  and  fettled  in  an  evil  way  ! 
Before,  it  might  have  been  expected,  that  an  awful  dif- 
penfation  of  jirovidence,  or  the  convincing  demonfiratioii 
of  the  vv'crd  of  God,  might  have  had  an  effe(^  upoa  him  ; 


The  Decehfulness  of  Sin.  127 

hut  now,  though  it  is  ftill  pofTible,  it  becomes  lefs  and 
Ids  probable.     A  tree,  when  it  is  newly  planted,  may  be. 
ealily  removed,  or  may  be  overturned  by  a  blall  crvvind; 
but,  when  once  it  has  fpread  its  roots  in  the  ground,  and 
long  kept  its  poflefllon,  the  moft  violent  tcmpell  may  bend 
its  top  a  little,  but  cannot  fliake  its  firm  foundations.     So 
the  linncr,  that  has  been  long  habituated  to  wickednefs, 
and  confirmed  by  a  long  courfe  of  time,  will  fland  even 
the  ftorms  of  afiliftion,  and,  if  they  do  bend  his  haughty  fpi- 
rit,  yet  they  will  not  break  his  ftubborn  heart.      1  do  not 
mean  to  fet  bounds  to  the  almighty  power  and  fovereign 
grace  of  God.     He,  no  doubt,  may,  and,  in  foiue  inflan- 
ces,  has  pluckt  the  mofl;  advanced  finners  as  brands  out 
of  the  fire.     But  thefe  inllances  are  few  and  uncommion, 
for  fome  of  the  great  ends  of  his  government.     It  is  not 
the  ordinary  way  of  his  dealing  with  us ;   and  he   hath 
fuflSciently  warned  us   againft  trufting  to   it.     lie  hath 
threatened  to  make  the  finner  feel  the  natural  confequence 
of  obftinacy,  by  ceafing  to  ftrive  with  him,  and  giving 
him  up  to  the  lufls  of  his  ov/n  heart. 

It  is  an  awful,  but,  ufeful  lelTon which  young perfons may- 
learn  fi-om  what  they  fee  in  the  world  about  them.     Thefe 
Vv-ho'have  been  long  habituated  to  idlenefs,  what  a  hope- 
lefs  thing  i'j  it  to  attempt  to  bring  them  to  apply  ?    Thofe 
who  Inve  been  long  habituated  to  drunkennefs  and  intem- 
perance, or  fenfuallty  of  any  kind,  we    ought  not  to  fay 
they  are  inclined  to  it,  but  they  are  compelled  to  it  by  the 
irrefiftible  calls  of  thefe  appetites  which  they  are  no  longer 
able  to  control.     All  who  obfcrve  them,  are  fo  fenfible  of 
it,  that  the}'  confider  it,  as  in  vain  to  fpeak  to  them,  and 
think  they  may  juft  as  well  fpeak  to  the  wind  or  the  ilorm: 
nay,  we  "may  often  perceive  the  poor  unhappy   wretches 
liiemfelves  fenfible  in  fome    m.eafure,  of  their  captivity, 
though  unable  to  break  the  chains  that  bind  them.    Some 
drunkards  have  been  known  to  be  filled  with  the  deeped 
vexation,  and  ready  to  tear  their  own  tielli,  on  refledVion 
oftheirbcadly  condition,  and  yet  drawn,  by  an  irrcfilti- 

ble  force,  to  the  next  temptation Noliiing  can  fet  in 

a  clearer  light  the  deceit  fulncfs  of  fin,  than  comparing  the 
fircnuth  of  hab'.ts,  with  the  How  and  iilcnt  manner  in 


liS  The  tisceitfulnecs  of  Sin. 

tvhich  they  fleal  on.  One  fingle  act  of  fin  fcems  nothings 
but  one  after  another  imperceptibly  ftrcngthens  the  difpo- 
Ijtion,  and  enflaves  the  unhappy  criminal  beyond  hope  of 
recovery. 

(5.)  The  next  ftage  in  a  finner's  courfe,  is,  to  lofe  the 
fenle  of  fliame,  and  fm  openly  and  boldly.  Sin  is,  in  it- 
ielf,  a  difnonorable  thing,  which  hath,  in  many  inflances, 
the  teftimony  of  mankind  againft  it,  though  their  practice 
be  on  Its  fide.  Hence  comes  the  veil  and  covering  of 
hypocrify.  Moft  part  of  fms  are  the  works  of  darknefs, 
becaufe  they  fliun  the  light.  But,  when  once  a  fmner  has 
come  to  a  certain  degree,  he  throws  oft'  every  mafk  or 
Covering,  and  fins  in  the  face  of  the  fun.  lie  no  more 
feeks  darknefs  for  his  evil  deeds,  but  Vv'alks  as  "•  deftrufti- 
*'  on  that  Wufteth  at  noon-day."  The  obferving  eyes,  and 
cenfuring  tongues  of  men,  are,  now,  no  bar  in  hie  way  ; 
jince  the  ftrength  of  inclination  and  habit  isfuch,  that  he 
mult  indulge  himdelf,  he  takes  courage,  and  refufes  tabe 
rcftrained. 

The  prophet  Jeremiah  mention  j:  it  as  an  evidence  of  a 
high  degree  of  degeneracy  in  the  children  of  Ifrael,  that 
many  of  them  liadloll  all  fcnfe  of  ihamc,  Jeremiah  vi.  15. 
*'  Were  they  afliamed  when  they  had  committed  abomi- 
•'  nation  ?  na}%  they  were  not  at  all  afhamed,  neither  could 
"  they  blufh  :  therefore  ihey  fnall  fall  among  them  that 
*'  fall :  at  the  time  that  I  vifit  them  they  fliall  be  cafldown, 
*'  faith  the  Lord."  And,  without  all  queftion,  it  is  an 
evidence  of  an  uncommon  height  of  impiety,  when  even 
natural  fliame  is  gone  ;  and  v/hoever  arc  in  that  conditi- 
on, have  loft  a  very  powerful  fence  to  virtue.  So  long  as 
jhame  remains,  it  is  a  great  draw-back  upon  them  in  their 
licentious  pradlices  ;  but,  when  it  is  no  more,  they  are 
without  curb  or  rellraint,  they  draw  miqinty  'ivitb  cords 
ofiianity^  and  sin,  as  it  ivere^  ivith  a  cart-rope.  And 
that  men  are  naturally  carried  to  this  bold  and  fliamelefs 
impiety,  is  evident  from  the  very  nature  of  the  thing.  Re- 
peated a.6lc  of  fin,  which  muft  be  known,  ofl'end  natural 
modefty  fo  frequently,  and  accuflom  a  man  {<•)  much  to 
iharne,  that  he  lofes  the  fenfe  of  it  in  tiine  altop-ether.  Of 
this  we  have  but  too  many  examples.     ■     •        .     * 


The  Deceit  fulness  of  Sin.  i  a^ 

(6.)  Anotlier  ftage  in  the  fmner's  progrcfs,  is,  to  har- 
den himfelf  fo  far,  as  to  fin  without  rcniorle  of  confcicnce. 
The  confcience  of  a  finncr,  for  a  long  time,  bears  its  tcf- 
timony  againll  him,  and  every  outward  indulgence  colts 
him  fomc  inward  uneafinefs ;  but,  after  he  hath  given 
himfelf  over  to  abandoned  wickednefs,  it  frequently  ceafes 
its  reproof.  This  vi^lory  he  may  obtain  two  difierent 
ways  .  I.  The  eafiefl  and  fpeedicft  way  is  by  hearkening 
to  loofe  principles.  Thefe,  at  once,  fet  tlie  mind  at  eafe, 
and  blunt  the  reproofs  of  confcience.  But  of  this  I  have 
fpoken  on  a  former  head.  2.  TJie  oihcr  way  is  practical. 
The  frequent  repetition  of  atrocious  crimes  flupifics  the 
confcicnce.  They,  as  it  were,  v/cary  it  out,  and  drive  it 
to  defpair.  It  is  much  the  fame  with  the  monitor  in  our 
own breafl",  and  any  friend  v.lio  has  a  concern  for  another; 
if  he  finds  that  inflru6Vion,  admonition,  reproach,  arc  all 
in  vain,  he,  at  lafl:,  loofens  the  reins,  and  fuffers  him  to 
take  his  courfe.  Now,  what  muft  be  the  condition  of  a 
man,  who  has  out-finned  even  his  confcience  itfelfr  he 
muft;  furely  be  kept  within  no  bounds,  but  triumph  in  his 
miferable  conquelr.  The  apoftle  Paul  tells  us,  i  Tim. 
iv.  1.  of  fome  who  are  guilty  of  *'  fpeaking  lies  in  hypo- 
"  crify,  having  their  confcience  feared  v.'lth  a  hot  iron." 
And  thus  defcribes  the  condition  of  fome  finners,  Eph. 
iv.  19.  "Who  being  pafl:  feeling,  have  given  themfelves 
'*  over  unto  lafcivioufnefs,  to  workall  uncleannefs  with 
"  greedinefs."  Perhaps,  it  maybe  thought  fome  degree 
of  comfort  to  a  finner  to  have  overcome  his  confcience, 
fo  that  he  is  no  more  harrafled  widi  its  reproofs.  But  con- 
fider,  I  pray  you,  that  all  that  he  hereby  gains,  is  only  to 
be  a  little  farther  out  of  the  way  of  recover}',  a  little  nearer 
to  dellrudtion.  What  avails  it,  that  he  has  rendered  him- 
felf infenfible  of  his  danger  ?  This  will  neidier  fcreen  him 
from  it,  nor  make  it  lighter  when  it  falls.  There  is  fomc- 
thing,  on  the  contrary,  extremely  terrible  in  the  condition 
of  that  man  who  is  infenfible  of  the  judgment  awaiting  him, 
and  ftill  going  on,  till  he  lift  up  his  eyes  in  torments  thr.t 
fhall  never  have  an  end.  But,  before  this,  he  has  fre- 
quently fome  further  fieps  to  go.  Having  fini/hed  his 
chai"Si£ter,  he  proceeds  to  finifli  his  work;  and,  therefore, 
in  the 


130  The  Deceitfulness  of  Sin. 

(7.)  Place,  Improved  fmners  often  come  to  boaft  and 
gloiy  of  their  wickednefs.  It  is  fomething  to  be  above 
Ihame ;  but  it  is  more  flill  to  glory  in  wickednefs,  and 
efteem  it  honorable.  Hear  what  the  apoftle  Paul  fays  of 
fuch,  Phil.  iii.  18,  19.  "  For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  have 
"  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping,  that 
"  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  whofe  end  is 
"  deftruclion,  whofe  God  is  their  belly,  and  whofe  glory  is 
"  in  their  iliame,  who  mind  earthly  things."  How  many 
are  there  who  have  lludied  to  excel  each  other  in  the  glo- 
rious art  of  debauchery  and  riot,  and  then  proclaim  their 
own  praiies  upon  the  fubjedt !  How  dreadful  and  how 
pernicious  a  chara6ler !  for  it  is  never  feparated  from  its 
counterpart,  defpifmg  and  reproaching  true  religion,  and 
a  ftedfaft  adherence  to  its  lav/s.  It  gives  me  great  concern 
to  fay,  that  there  is  fo  much  pains  taken  amongft  us,  to 
give  countenance  to  profanity  ;  fo  that  it  requires  no  fmall 
meafure  of  courage  and  refolution  not  to  be  afhamed  of 
our  Mailer's  crofs.  To  what  height  of  wickednefs  are 
thofe  arrived,  who  hare  thus  inverted  the  natural  order  of 
things,  have  maftered  their  own  judgment,  and  turned 
their  reafon  upfide  down.  Glorious  ambition  indeed  !  to 
have  made  fuch  a  progrefs  downward  toward  the  brute 
creation,  both  as  to  their  bodily  appetites  and  the  fenti- 
ments  of  their  minds.  I'here  remaineth  but  one  ftep 
,  movQ  for  them  to  take,  viz. 

(8.)  Not  to  be  content  with  being  wicked  themfelves, 
but  to  ufe  all  their  art  and  influence  to  make  others  fo  too. 
This  is  to  be  zealous  in  fmning,  and  induftrioufly  to  pro- 
mote the  intereft  of  the  infernal  caufe.  How  often  do  we 
find  thofe  who  have  no  fsar  of  God  before  their  ov/n  eyes, 
ufe  their  utmoft  endeavors  to  extinguiih  it  in  others,  to 
laugh  down  the  qualms  of  their  confciences,  and  break  any 
reluctance  they  may  feem  to  have  at  running  to  the  fame 
excefs  of  riot  with  themfelves  t  Some  are  h  eminent  this 
way  that  they  refemble  the  Pharifees  who  "  compafled  fea 
"  and  land  to  make  one  profelyte,*' and  when  they  had  made 
him,  they  made  him  "  tvv'o-fold  more  the  child  of  hell  than 
"  themfelves."  So  will  zealots  in  vice,  compafs  fea  and 
land  to  make  a  profelyte  to  the  devil.     It  is.  hard  to  tell 


The  Deceit fiilness  of  Sin.  131 

to  what  we  fliould  attribute  this  extraordinary  conduct. 
Is  it  that  they  are  really  jierluaded  they  have  made  a  wife 
choice,  and  out  of  their  great  generofity  and  affetilion  to 
their  brethren  are  willing  to  make  them  partners  of  their 
joj:  ?  This  I  am  afraid  will  hardly  be  believed  by  any 
reafonable  man.  It  is  more  probable, that  as  they  relemble 
in  many  other  refpe6ts  their  father  the  devil,  [o  they  refem- 
ble  him  alfo  in  malice,  "  going  about  like  roaring  lions, 
"  feeking  whom  they  may  devour."  They  already  begin 
to  feel  their  mifery  hy  fm,  and  deiire  to  bring  as  many  as 
poffible  into  the  fame  condition,  as  a  wretched  (and  in- 
deed miftaken)  fource  of  confolation  in  their  future  wo. 

And  now  to  clofe  the  fcene,  thofe  who  have  thus  far 
hardened  themfelves  fliall  be  given  up  of  God  to  judicial 
blindnefs  of  mind,  and  hardnefs  of  heart.  When  this 
fentence  takes  place,  they  are  incapable  of  mercy,  and 
marked  out  as  vefTels  of  wrath,  fitted  to  defiruQiion.  That 
God  foinetimes,  in  his  righteous  judgment,  lays  the  finner 
under  this  awful  fentence,  is  evident  from  the  following 
paffages  of  fcripture,  Ifa.  vi.  10.  "  Make  the  heart  of  this 
"  people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  fliut  their 
"  eyes  :  left  they  fee  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
"  ears,  and  underftand  with  their  heart,  and  convert,  and 
*'  be  healed.  John  xii.  39,  40.  "  Therefore  they  could 
"  not  believe,  becaufe  that  Efaias  faid  again,  he  hath  blind- 
*'  ed  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart ;  that  they  fliould 
"  not  fee  v/ith  their  eyes,  nor  underftand  with  their  heart, 
"  and  be  converted,  and  I  fliould  heal  them."  Rom.  i.  28. 
"  And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their 
"  knowledge,  God  gave  theni  over  to  a  reprobate  mind, 
''  to  do  thofe  things  which  are  not  convenient."  2  Theff. 
ii.  II,  12.  "•  And  for  this  caufe  God  fliall  fend  them 
"  ftrong  delufions,  that  they  fliall  believe  a  lie  ;  that  they 
"  all  might  be  damned,  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but 
*'  had  pleafure  in  unrighteoufnefs."  This  is  always  a 
confequence  of  their  former  obftinacy.  As  they  dcfpifc 
and  trample  upon  his  mercy,  he  gives  them  over  to  t'r.cm- 
felves  and  the  mailers  they  have  chofen ;  he  fmiflies  the 
day  of  his  patience  and  long-fuffcring,  and  devolcs  tlicui 
to  tiie  judgment  they  djferve. 


.132  T^e  Dsceitfulness  of  Sin. 

And  novv^,  my  brethren,  view  (and  view  it  with  terror  !) 
the  dreadful  confequence  of  the  deceitfiilnefs  of  fm,  and 
by  what  fatal  Heps  it  leads  on  to  that  hardnefs  of  heart . 
which  is  a  fure  prelude  of  eternal  mifery.  Who  that 
ventures  upon  the  praftice  of  fm,  ever  intends  to  go  fo 
far  ?  They  mean  only  to  take  a  fliort  trial  of  the  plea- 
fures  of  vice  ;  but  it  gains  upon  them  infenfibly,  and  fixes 
its  hold  flill  fafter  and  fader,  till  they  a;  e  its  abfolute 
flaves.  I  iliall  conclude  this  illuftration  of  the  deceitful- 
nefs  of  fm  with  obferving,  that  there  is  a,n  exact  corref- 
pondence  between  the  progrefs  of  a  faint  in  holinefs  and 
meetnefs  for  heaven,  and  the  progrefs  of  a  v/icked  man  in. 
fm,  and  his  grov/ing  fitnefs  and  preparation  for  hell.  A 
new  convert  finds  it  hard  at  firll  to  feparate  himfelf  from 
his  fms,  and  confine  himfelf  within  the  bounds  of  duty ; 
he  has  fome  relenting  thought  towards  his  lufts,  as  old 
companions  from  which  he  is  to  part  forever.  Jufl  fo  a 
young  and  unexperienced  finner  finds  fome  relu^ance  at 
fm,   fome  uneafinefs  from  the   challenges   of  confcience, 

and  painful  forebodings  of  his  unknown  future  fate. 

A  good  man  after  walking  fome  time  in  the  paths  of  vir- 
tue, finds  the  way  become  fmoother  and  eafier,  and  ferves 
God,  with  greater  conilancy,  and  with  greater  pleafure. 
Juft  fo  the  finner  finds  it  more  eafy,  through. time,  to  vio- 
late his  confcience,  does  it  more  frequently,  and  with  lefs 
remorfe. — A  good  man  fcon  afiociates  himfelf  widi  the  . 
excellent  ones  of  the  earth,  he  is  inilrufted  by  their  con- 
verfation,  emboldened  by  their  example,  and  aiilftcd  by 
their  prayers.  Juft  fo  the  finner  foon  finds,  or  is  found 
out  by  thofe  who  are  like  him  in  inclination  ;  they  join  in 
confederacy,  adopt  each  others  principles,  and  follow  cacli , 

others  piacHiice. A  good  man  in  time   is  thoroughly 

confirmed,  becomes  pollefi  of  a  prevailing  love  to  God 
and  holinefs  ;  fo  that  it  is  his  very  nature,  his  delight,  as 
well  as  duty.  Jull  fo  the  finner,  in  procefs  of  lime,  is 
governed  by  his  lulls  :   they  acquire  that  authority  over 

him  that  they  do  not  folicit  but  demand  indulgence.- 

A  good  man  is  fortified  in  his  choice,  and  defpifes  tlie 
fmiles  and  frowns  of  a  corrupt  v.'orld.  Jufl  io  the  finner 
Jays  afide  fhame,  and  fiys,  nay  but  \  v/ill  do  that  v.-hii-h 


77jc  D'cccitfulness  ofSin»  135 

hath  proceeded  out  of  my  mouth. A  good  man  is  filled 

with  concern  for  the  interell  of  religion.  Jufi:  fo  the  fm- 
ner  efpoufes  the  caufe  of  profanity^  will  plead  it  in  his. 
convcrfation,  and  ftrengthen  it  with  his  fubftance. — In 
fine,  a  good  man  is  at  lafl:  raifed  above  the  world,  his  heart 
is  in  heaven,  and  he  longs  to  be  carried  there.  Jufi:  fo  the 
finner  fills  up  the  meafure  of  his  iniquity  ;  the  infernal 
paflions  take  poiTeflTion  of  the  wiiole  man,  he  wearies  of 
the  earth  for  the  few  good  men  that  are  in  it,  and  is  fully 
prepared  for  the  language  of  blafphemy  and  defpair. 

IT.  I  proceed  now  to  the  fecond  general  head,  whiclt 
was  to  confider  the  duty  which  is  founded  by  the  apoftle 
on  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  viz.  mutual  exhortation.  Ex- 
hort one  another  daily^  while  it  is  called^  to-day.  This  I 
fhall  do  by  fome  reflections  on  the  three  following  particu- 
lars. I  ft,  The  perfons  who  are  obliged  to  exhort  others. 
2dly,  The  feafon  in  which  this  duty  is  to  be  performed. 
And,  3dly,  The  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  performed,  if 
we  hope  to  do  it  with  fuccefs. 

I.  As  to  the  perfons  who  are  obliged  to  exhort  others. 
It  feems  in  this  paflage  to  be  laid  upon  Chriftians  in  gene- 
ral, without  any  exception,  exhort  one  another  \  and  there 
is  little  doubt,  that  it  may  and  ought  to  be  underfiood  in. 
the  greateft  latitude.  This  is  perfedlly  confonant  to  the 
fpirit  of  true  religion,  to  our  relation  one  to  another,  and 
to  the  conftant  language  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Tefi:a- 
ment.  The  two  great  branches  of  practical  religion,  the 
heads  of  the  two  tables  of  the  moral  law,  are  love  to  God 
and  love  to  man  ;  and  as  our  love  to  man  ought  to  take 
its  rife  from  our  love  to  God,  fo  there  can  be  no  exprcfllon 
of  it  more  natural,  or  more  ncceifary,  than  an  endeavor  to 
warn  them  of  the  deceitful  nature  and  dangerous  confe- 
quences  of  fin.  Tlus  is  a  duty  which  is  founded  with  the 
highell  propriety  on  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin.  For  as  it  de- 
ludes the  finner  himfelf  often  in  an  infenfiblc  manner, 
others  may  be  fuppofed  to  obferve  his  condition,  and  to 
fee  the  impofition  more  clearly,  and  are  therefore  obliged, 
by  the  dictates  both  of  humanity  and  piety,  to  awaken 
him  as  it  were  from  his  lethargy,  and  admonifli  him  of 

Vol.  II.  K 


134  The  Deceitfuhiess  of  Sin'. 

his  danger.  Oh,  my  brethren  !  confidcr  how  clear  ancT 
unqueflionable  this  duty  appears  in  common  matters-' 
Suppofe  any  man  vv^ere  to  oblerve  an  apartment  on  fire^ 
and  know  of  feveral  perfons  Deeping  over  it,  or  near  it,  irt 
fecurity,  when  a  few  moments  delay  wsukl  wrap  them  in 
the  flames,  what  a  mcnlter  of  injuilice  and  barbarit}?-  would 
he  be  reckoned,  if  he  did  not  give  them  immediate  notice, 
that  they  might  flee  from  the  danger.  Is  the  danger  of  fin 
fefs  real  ?  Is  it  lefs  terrible  ?  Juft  the  contrary.  The  lofs 
of  fubftance,  or  the  lofs  of  life,,  by  fire  in  our  dwellings,  is 
not  once  to  be  compared  with  having  foul  and  body  for- 
ever  tormented  in  the  fire  of  hell.. 

Agreeably  to  this,  we  find  frequent  iBention  of  this? 
duty  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Tefi:am€nt.  It  is  a  pre- 
cept in  the  Levitical  lawy  Lev,  xix.  1-7.  "  Thou  Ihalt 
"  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart ;  thou  flialt  in  anV 
*'  wife  rebuke  thy  neighbor,  and  not  fufFer  fin  upon  him."' 
Prov.  ix.  8.  " — Rebuke  a  wife  man,  and  he  will  love 
**  thee."  Phil,  ii,  4.  "  Look  not  eveiy  man  on  his  own 
"  things,  but  every  man  alfo  on  the  things  of  others.'* 
Heb.  X.  24.  "  And  let  us  eonfider  one  another  to  provoke 
"  unto  love,  and  to  good  works." 

:  There  is  no  doubt,  at  the  fame  time,  that  this  duty^ 
however  general,  lies  with  peculiar  and  heavier  obligations? 
on  fo-me  than  on  others,  and  varies  a  little  according  to' 
the  different  relations  we  fi:and  in  to  one  another.  You 
will  eafily  be  fenfible  how  much  it  is  the  duty  of  thofe^ 
•who  have  the-  minifiry  of  reconciliat'.on  committed  to* 
them,  who  are  entrufled  witli  the  rliarge  of  precious  Ibuls^ 
to  be  urgent  and  earncfi:  in  their  exhortations,  to  all  v/ith- 
©ut  exception ;  to  be  at  all  proper  pains  to  fit  themfelveS' 
for  awakening  the  attention,  enlightcFjing  the  underftand- 
ing,  and  convincing  the  confciences  of  their  hearers.  It 
is  their  duty  to  do  what  in  them  lies,  to  trace  the  fubtil 
workings  and  v/indings  of  the  human  heart,  and  to  know 
the  depths  of  Satan,  as  the  fcripture  exprelTcs  it,  to  de- 
clare the  whole  counfel  of  God,  and  keep  back  nothing 
that  is  profitable  for  their  hearers.  It  is  not  to  be  denied 
that  you  ought  to  hear  them  with  patience  and  atten- 
tiQuj  that  they  have-  a  right  to  fpeak  wiUi  freedom  and 


77?e  Deceltfulness  of  Sin.  135 

t>o1dners  to  perfons  of  every  rank  and  chara(ri:er;  and 
that  there  ou,<];ht  to  be  a  particular  fire  and  edge  in  their  ex- 
ijortarions,  fince  they  watch  for  your  Ibuls  as  tliofe  who 
mull  give  an  account  unto  God. 

There  is  vilfo  a  particular  obligation  upon  fuperiors  of 
all  Torts,  whether  in  oHice,  as  magillrates ;  in  ftation,  as 
perfons  of  wealth  and  opulence  ;  in  years,  as  thofc  whom 
time  and  experience  fhould  have  enriched  with  folid 
wifdom  ;  in  relation,  as  parents  and  niafters  of  families, 
to  be  frequeiat  in  exhorting  others,  and  war-ning  them  of 
the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin.  It  is  laid  upon  diem,  and  ex- 
pelled of  them,  that  they  fliould  not  live  to  thcmfelves, 
that  they  fliould  not  fatisfy  themfelves  with  exacting  and 
looking  for  the  refpcct  and  deference  which  is  their  due ; 
but  that  they  oup;ht  to  exert  themfelves,  in  giving  ufeful 
inftrudlion  or  falutary  admonition  to  all  who  are  within 
their  fplierc.  Is  fin  {o  deceitful  ?  Are  tJie  unwary  and 
ignorant  fo  eafily  miiled,  and  ^0  hardly  recovered  ?  Then 
furely  thofc  who  ought  to  excel  others  in  knowledge, 
ihould  be  careful  to  impart  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  weak. 
Undoubtedly,  my  brethren,  it  is  not  only  a  Chriflian,  but 
a  noble  and  amiable  character,  for  thofe  w  ho  are  exalted 
above  others,  to  be  full  ofcompaflion  to  their  inferiors,  and 
in  their  whole  converfation  breathing  a  defire  aftef  their 
fpiritual  good. 

But  it  is  alfo  plainly  a  part  of  Christian  friendfhip,  even 
for  equals  to  exhort  one  another,  and  kindly  to  commu- 
nicate their  mutual  experience  in  the  fpiritual  life.  "  Tlie 
**  lips  of  the  righteous  (we  are  told  by  Solomon)  feed  ma- 
*'  ny."  O  how  rare  and  difficult  a  duty  !  But  wherefore 
'fhould  it  be  either  difficult  or  rare  ?  The  Love  of  God 
leads  to  it.  Tlie  flate  of  your  brethren  requires  it.  And 
Jurely  it  is  neither  unpleafant  nor  hurtful  to  him  that  per- 
forms it.  I  am  fcnfible  where  the  difficulty  lies.  We 
fuppofe  there  are  icwr  who  will  hear  it  with  patience,  or 
receive  it  with  profit.  Alas  !  my  brethren,  it  is  too  true, 
we  hear,  on  all  hands,  complaints,  that  people  will  not 
lake  advice  ;  that  they  are  but  oflended,  inftead  of  being 
reformed.  Perhaps,  indeed,  this  is  as  much  owing  to 
'  ihe  manner  of  giving,  as  to  the  backwardnefs  of  receiviag 


1^6  The  Deceitfiilness  of  Sin. 

Counfel.  However,  we  fhall  allow  the  objeftion  ;  and, 
fmce  the  duty  is  mutual,  I  hope  it  will  not  be  reckoned 
wandering  from  the  fubjeft,  if  I  befeech  you  to  fubmit  to 
one  anothers  exhortation.  V\^e  all  fiand  in  need  of  it ; 
v/e  may  all  be  the  better  for  it.  What  though  it  be  ad- 
miniftered  imprudently  or  harfhly  for  the  manner ;  nay, 
though  it  may  flow  from  envy  pride,  or  malice,  as  the 
principle ;  you  will  lofe  nothing  by  hearkening  to  the 
counfel.  I  do  not  remember  any  thing  recorded  more 
truly  glorious  for  a  monarch,  than  what  we  are  told  of 
Philip  of  Macedon,  that  he  heard  reproofs  not  only  with 
patience,  but  with  pleafure  :  and  I  am  fare,  there  is  no- 
thing more  like  a  Chriftian,  than  to  profit,  not  only  by 
the  admonitions  of  friends,  but  by  the  reproaches  of  ene- 
mies. If  they  are  juft,  reform  what  is  smifs  ;  if  they  are 
probable,  abllain  from  the  appearance  of  evil :  if  they  are 
neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  fubmit  to  them  v.'iih  pa- 
tience, as  a  part  of  the  will  of  God. 

2.  I  come  now  to  confider  the  feafon  in  which  the  du- 
ty of  mutual  exhortation  is  to  be  performed,  Lxbort 
one  another  daily ^  ivhile  it  is  called,  to-day.  By  which 
we  are  to  underfland,  that  it  is  to  be  done  frequently, 
and  without  delay.  This,  my  brethren,  will  perfeclly 
accommodate  the  fubjedt  of-  this  difcourfe  to  our  prefent 
fituation,  when  entering  on  another  year.  We  have 
many  admonitions  of  the  quick  paffage  of  time ;  and  ail 
thefe  ferve  to  enforce  the  exhortation  of  the  wife  man, 
Ecclef.  ix.  10.  *'  Whatfoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do 
*'  it  with  thy  might ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device, 
"  nor  knowledge,  nor  wifdom,  in  the  grave,  v\  hither 
''  thou  goeft."  If  any  hearer  has  received  a  convi6lion 
of  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  or  the  duty  of  mutual  exhor- 
tation, he  ought  ferioufly  to  confider,  that  tlie  prefent 
time  only  is  his ;  that  he  knoweth  not  what  a  day  or  a 
night  may  bring  forth ;  and  that  delaying  or  poitponing 
what  he  may  do  at  prefent,  is  at  the  poiilble  or  probablb 
hazard  of  its  being  left  undone  for  ever.  I  befeech  you, 
•  my  brethren,  to  make  this  ufe  of  the  comnieiicenient  of 
another  year.  There  is  no  difference,  in  one  {tw^t^^  be- 
tween one  day  and  anotlier,  as  much  of  Ufe  is  fpcnt,  and 


The  Deceitfuhess  of  Sin,  '137 

■as  much  of  our  dying  frame  is  wailed  in  one  day  as  in 
another ;  but  our  computation  and  reckoning  of  revolv- 
ing years,  by  the  principal  feafons,  only  helps  us  to  mark 
the  conilant,  though  filent  pafla,-e  of  time,  which,  like 
a  flowing  riv^er,  is  bearing  us  all  down  into  the  ocean  of 
eternity.  Has  any  of  us  then  a  relation,  friend,  or  child, 
to  whofe  eternal  interefl  he  defires,  or  fees  it  to  be  his  duty 
to  contribute  ?  let  him  be  fpeedy  and  diligent,  whether 
by  inllruclion,  admonition,  example,  or  even  prayer  :  you 
know  not  how  fhort  a  time  the  opportunity  may  lalL  By 
and  by  ail  thefe  relations  fl-iall  be  diflblved.  How  many 
who  were  with  us  lafl  year,  are  now  fleeping  in 
the  duft  ;  their  Hate  irrevocably  fixed  for  eternity,  ei- 
ther entered  into  reft,  and  happy  in  their  Redeemer's 
prei'ence,  or  referved  in  chains  of  darknefs,  and  looking 
forward,  with  defpair  and  terror,  to  the  general  judgment. 
No  warning  of  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  there  ;  they  know 
it,  and  feel  it,  in  inward  reproach,  and  everlafting  felf- 
condemnation.  No  preaching  of  the  gofpel  there  ;  no 
hope  of  recovery,  or  place  for  repentance  there  :  fo  that 
we  may  juiUy  addrefs  every  hearer  of  the  gofpel,  in  the 
words  of  the  apoftle  Paul,  2  Cor.  vi.  1,2.  "  We  then,  as 
*'  workers  together  with  him,  befeech  you  alfo,  that  you 
''  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  For  he  faith,  I  have 
"  heard  thee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in  the  day  of  falva- 
*'  tion  have  I  fuccored  thee  :  behold,  now  is  the  accept- 
"  ed  time  ;  beholu,  now  is  the  day  of  falvation." 

I  Ihall  only  add,  that  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm,  and  the 
precarioufnefs  of  time,  are  confiderations  which  ferve 
greatly  to  ftrengthen  one  another.  As  time  waftes,  the 
fjnner  hardens  ;  not  only  is  the  feafon  pafling  away,  but 
the  work  is  becoming  ftill  more  difficult,  and,  at  laft,  as  I 
have  fhown  before,  in  the  courfe  of  nature,  and  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  God,  totally  impoflible.  It  is  the  danger  of 
a  hardened  ftate,  that  the  Apoftle  urges  ;  particularly  in  this 
palfage,  as  the  argument  to  diligence,  Biitexbortone  another 
daily, luhile  it  is  called^  to-day ;  lest  any  of  you  be  hardened 
through  the  deceitfuhess  of  sin.  And,  indeed,  elfewhere, 
we  are  cautioned  againft  delay,  for  the  fame  reafon.  Thus, 
in  Pfal.  xcv.  7,  8.  which  is  cited  a  few  verfes  after  the 


138  Yhe  Deccitfulness  of  S'ln. 

text,  " — To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not 
"  your  heart,  as  in  the  provocation,  and  as  in  the  day  of 
"  temptation  in  the  wildernefs." 

3.  Let  us  confider  the  manner  in  which  this  exhortati- 
on mufl  be  given,  if  we  hope  to  do  it  with  fuccefs.  And, 
here,  I  mull  acknowledge,  there  is  fo  great  a  variety  of 
cafes,  that  it  would  be  extremely  difficult,  or  almoft  im- 
poiTible,  diftin6;ly,  to  enumerate  them  all,  and  give  the 
different  dire6\ions  that  are  fuited  to  each  ;  there  muli  be  a 
great  difference  in  the  manner,  according  to  the  end  pro- 
pofed.  Superiors  of  all  forts,  magiftrates,  minifters,  and 
heads  of  families,  may,  and  ought  to  reprove,  both  with 
authority  and  feverity,  becaufe  the  end  is  not  fmgly  the 
reformation  of  an  individual,  but  the  prefervation  of  others, 
and  the  general  good  :  nay,  even  private  Chriilians  may 
often  be  called  to  reprove,  in  much  the  fame  manner  as  a 
public  teilimony  of  their  abhorrence  of  fm :  they  may 
have  it,  chiefly,  in  view,  to  fave  or  edify  the  by-ftanders, 
by  refuting  the  calumnies  of  an  enemy,  bearing;  down  tri- 
umphant wickednefs,  or  difgracing  an  open  fadlor  for  the 
devil. 

But  as  I  reckon  the  paflage  of  fcripture,  which  is  the 
fubje6l  of  my  difcourfe,  has  an  eye,  chiefly,  to  brotherly 
admonition,  for  the  benefit  of  the  perfon  concerned,  I 
fhall  juft  mention  fome  of  the  moil  important  directions  for 
doing  it  with  fuccefs.  Thefe  fhall  be  both  negative  and 
poiitive. 

Ill,  You  ought  not  to  reprove  at  an  uncertainty,  upon 
bare  rumor  and  fufpicion.  This  is  what  many  people 
have  done,  and  thereby  have,  in  a  great  meafure,  loft  all 
the  pains  tliey  have  beftowed.  Where  men  are  reproved 
in  the  wrong  place,  or  for  what  they  either  are  not  guilty 
of,  or  are  much  lefs  ?uilty  than  is  ilippofed,  it  often  puts 
them  upon  felf-juftification,  and  hardens  them  againll  all 
reproof  for  the  time  to  come. 

2dly,  It  ought  not  to  be  done  v/hen  the  offending  per- 
fon is  in  an  ill  temper  to  receive  it.  Though  no  tim.e 
ought  to  be  loft  in  doing  what  good  we  can  to  our  neigh- 
bor, efpecially  to  the  precious  foul ;  yet  it  is  v/orfe  than 
Jofiijg  time  to  attempt  it,  when  he  is  in  a  difpoution  to  re-- 


^he  DcccUfiilness  of  Sin,  139 

jecl  it  1  for  example,  it  is  ufually  improper  prefently  after 
the  fm  is  committed,  becaufe  then  the  heat  is  not  over, 
hor  the  uproar  of  the  pafTions  and  afTeciiions  appcafed. 
Many  a  domellic  reproof  is  thrown  away  in  this  manner. 
Perhaps,  a  hulband  comes  home  difordercd  in  liquor,  and 
his  wife  meets  him  witli  a  furly  countenance,  and  re- 
proachful language  ;  the  oiFence  is  too  recently  taken  by 
her  to  fpeakwith  mceknefs,  and  the  provocation  too  re. 
cently  given  by  him  to  hear  with  patience  :  hence  dil- 
fenfions  and  quarrels  arife  ;  and,  perhaps,  he  is  hardened 
in  his  fm,  by  thinking  he  hath  greater  caufc  to  be  difplea- 
fed  wiUi  his  wife  for  the  frowardnefa  of  her  temper^  than 
fhe  has  to  be  difpleafed  with  him  for  his  intemperance. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  improbable,  that,  by  waiting 
till  the  return  of  calmnefs  and  reflection,  the  fm  maybe 
fet  in  fuch  a  light,  as  to  carry  conviction  to  the  confci- 
ence,  and,  by  the  blelTmg  of  God,  prove  the  means  of  re- 
formation. Many  are  the  admirable  remarks  of  Solomon 
on  this  and  the  like  fubjeds  ;  particularly,  Prov.  xv.  23. 
*'  A  word  fpoken  in  due  feafon,  how  good  is  it  !" 

3dly,  We  are  not  to  reprove  thofe  whom  we  have  rea- 
fon  to  believe  to  be  fuch  defperate  wretches,  that  they 
v.'ould  be  but  the  more  exafperated,  and  fm  in  the  more 
daring  manner,  on  account  of  the  reproof.  To  thefe  it 
would  be  no  aft  of  love  and  charity,  as  it  would  provoek 
them  to  diihonor  God  flill  more  highly,  and  fo  heap 
ftill  heavier  loads  of  wrath  and  vengeance  on  tjieir  own 
Jieads.     It  is  a  faying  of  Augufline,  one  of  the  lathers  : 

*  If  we,  therefore  abflain  from  a.lmonifliing  wicked  men, 
'  becaufe  the  feafon  doss  not  fuffer  it,  or,  we  fear,  they 

*  may  become  v/orfe  by  it,  that  feems  to  be  the  counfcl  of 

*  charity.'  And,  alas  !  hov/  many  are  there,  who,  when 
they  are  reproved  for  their  fins,  though  very  jufily,  ars 
prefently  kindled  into  a  rage,  fall  a  blafpheming  and  rail- 
ing at  piety,  and  all  that  profefs  it,  and  fcem  more  con- 
firmed than  ever  In  their  haired  and  oppofaion  to  it. 
Therefore  v/e  are  c^rprcfsly  v/arned  of  the  danger  of  thij 
by  Solomon,  Prov.  ix.  7.  "  He  that  rcprovetha  fcorner, 
"  getteth  to  hinifelf  fnam.e  ;  and  he  tliat  rebuketh  a  wick- 
"  ed  man,  getteth  I.imfclf  a  blot."     And,  to  \Xi&  fame 


*4<3  The  Deceitfulncss  of  Sin. 

purpofe,  our  blefled  Saviour,  Matth.  vii.  6.  "  Give  not 
"  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs,  neither  caft  ye  your 
"  pearls  before  fwine,  left  they  trample  them  under  their 
"  feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you."  On  the  other 
hand,  pofitively,  when  reproof  or  exhortation  are  admi- 
niftered, 

I  ft.  It  fhould  be  made  appear,  as  much  as  poffible,  to 
flow  from  love  and  affeftion  as  its  principle.  It  is  plain 
that  this  ought  to  be  its  principle,  in  order  to  its  being  a 
a  duty  acceptable  to  God  ;  and  there  will  be  little  hope  of 
its  fuccefs  with  men,  unlefs  this  appear  to  their  convidTti- 
on.  It  woull,  indeed,  be  greater  perfeftion  to  profit  by 
the  malicious  inve6lives  of  enemies  ;  but  every  body  will 
allow,  that  is  not  ordinarily  to  be  expected  ;  for  this  rea- 
Ion,  all  oilentation  and  vain  glory  is  carefully  to  be  avoid- 
ed, and  every  thing  that  may  look  like  only  affedling  fu- 
periority  ;  for  the  fame  reafon,  it  fliould,  in  all  ordinaiy, 
cafes,  be  done  in  as  fecret  a  manner  as  circumftances. 
will  permit  it.  The  cafe  of  public  offences,  to  be  fure/ 
muft  be  excepted ;  concerning  which  we  arc  told,  "  Them 
*'  that  fm,  rebuke  before  all,  that  others  alfo  may  fear." 
But,  in  other  cafes,  not  only  of  private  injury,  butofpri-- 
vate  fms,  the  rule  of  our  Saviour  is  to  be  obferved,  Matth. 
xviii.  15.  "  — If  thy  brother  fliall  trefpafs  againft  thee,  go 
*'  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone  ;  if 
**  hefhall  hear  thee,  thou  haft  gained  thy  brother."  I  can- 
not fay  all  that  might  be  faid  on  this  fiibjeft  ;  but  nothing 
can  be  of  greater  importance,  than,  if  pollible,  to  fnow 
that  it  flows  from  love :  for,  where  the  olFender  is  truly 
convinced  of  this,  even  though  he  ftiould  not  be  reformed, 
it  is  very  feldom  that  he  is  difpleafed.     Therefore, 

idly.  As  it  ought  to  flow  from  love  as  the  principle,  fo 
it  ought  to  be  conda6led  with  meeknefs  in  the  fame  manner. 
No  railing  or  reviling  expreffions,  which  will  look  like 
the  vTounds  of  an  enem}'-,  to  deftroy,  and  not  the  balm  of 
aphyfician,  to  cure.  Therefore  the  Apollle  gives  us  ad- 
vice, in  the  following  terms,  Gal.  vi.  i.  "Brethren,  if  a 
*'  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  which  are  Ipiritual,  re- 
*'■  ftore  fuch  an  one  in  the  fpirit  of  meeknefs  :  confidering 
*'  thyfelf,  left  thou  alfo  be  tempted."     This  laft  exprefllon 


The  Deccitfuhicss  of  Sin.  i^r 

gives  an  inimitable  beauty  to  the  anoilolic  counfel.  Our 
own  fins  fliould  fill  us  with  companion  as  much  as  refciu-' 
ment  againft  finners,  and  fhould  make  us  take  the  fame 
gentle  methods  with  others  that  we  would  wilh  to  lie  taken 
with  ourl'elves,  if  we  were  in  their  condition.  We  are  of 
the  fame  nature,  liable  to  the  fame  temptations,  and,  if 
left  of  God,  may  eafily  fall  into  the  fame  mifcarriages. 
Befides,  as  it  is  mofh  fuitable  to  our  ftate  and  character,  fo 
it  is  mofi:  likely  to  have  a  proper  efleft.  Meek  and  gentle 
admonitions  will  penetrate  the  heart,  when  rough  and 
clamorous  reproofs  will  be  rejected  and  defpifed.  Thus 
Solomon  fays,  Prov*  xxv.  15.  "  By  long  forbearing  is  3 
"  prince  perfuaded,  and  a  foft  tongue  breaketh  the  bone." 
And,  Chap.  xv.  i.  "  A  foft  anfwer  turneth  away  wrath, 
*'  but  grievous  words  ftir  up  anger." 

3dly,  Reproof  Ihould  be  given  with  fome  degree  of  zeal 
as  well  as  meeknefs  ;  wc  fliould  avoid  the  extreme  of  re- 
miflriefs  as  well  as  feverity.  A  flight  carelefs  reproof  is 
often  worfe  than  none  ;  for  it  is  ready  to  make  the  ofl^en- 
der  think  lightly  of  his  own  offence.  There  muff,  there- 
fore, be  fuch  evident  weight  and  concern  of  fpirit,  as  may 
ferve  to  evidence  as  well  his  danger  as  your  own  love.. 
For  this  reafon,  I  beg  leave  to  obferve,  that  fpeaking  in 
a  way  of  jcft,  and  merriment,  on  fins  of  an  atrocious  na- 
ture is  deeply  criminal,  and  highly  pernicious.  Solomon 
tells  us,  "  Fools  make  a  mock  at  fin."  Though  a  turn 
to  raillery  and  pleafantncfs  of  temper  is  reckoned  a  very 
harmlefs  as  well  as  agreeable  difpofition  ;  yet  great  care, 
ought  to  be  taken  of  the  fubjedls  on  which  it  is  exercifed. 
It  is  only  fmaller  weakneffes  that  ought  to  be  treated  in. 
this  manner.  Sins  againfl:  God  Ihould  be  treated  with  a 
gravity  and  ferioufnefs  from  the  importance  of  their  na- 
ture and  effects.  I  Ihall  give  an  inftance  of  this.  Swear- 
in,G:,  and  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  is  fometimes 
ridiculed,  inllead  of  being  reproved.  This  feldom  has 
a  good  effeft.  The  crime  is  of  fo  atrocious  a  nature,  and 
fo  direft  an  affault  upon  the  majefty  of  God,  that  it  ought 
not  to  be  treated  lightly,  as  only  a  fmall  indecorum,  or 
breach  of  good  maQXierg.     It  ought,  indeed,  to  be  defpifed 

Vol.  IJ,  S 


142  TJjc  Deceitfulncss  o/Shitu 

for  its  folly ;  but,  at  the  fame  time  it  ought  to  be  deeply 
abhorred  for  its  guilt. 

4thly,  In  the  laft  place.  In  admonifliing  one  another 
for  particular  fms,  we  ihould  ftill  keep  in  view  the  fource 
of  all  fin,  a  polluted  nature ;  aixl  the  great  danger  of  the 
fmner,  as  in  a  fmful  ilate.  Though  particular  mifcar- 
riages  may  give  the  occafion,  it  is  of  fmall  moment  tO" 
■convince  them  of  the  folly  of  fuch  or  fuch  a  pradtice^ 
unlefs  you  point  out  to  them  the  neceflity  of  repentance^ 
in  general,  upon  evangelical  principles.  I  have  rarel)^ 
feen  that  any  arguroentg  were  fufficient  to  reform  a  din- 
ner of  any  particular  fault  he  was  once  addidled  to,  but 
thofe  drawn  from  eternity,  and  the  awful  effeds  of  the 
difpleafure  of  a  holy  God.  Prefent  inconveniencies, 
however  great,  foon  lofe  their  effedl,  and  are  quite  un- 
equal to  combat  a  vitious  inclination,  or  wreftle  with  the 
power  of  habit.  But,  though  it  were  otherwife,  what  a- 
fmall  matter  is  it  to  cure  a  man  of  being  a  drunkard, 
or  a  fwearer,  or  a  whoremonger,  if  ftiil  you  leave  hiru  a 
flave  to  fin,  upon  the  whole,  a  fervant  of  the  devil,  and 
an  heir  of  bell  ?  It  is  plainly  with  a  view  to  the  final 
confequences  of  fin,  that  the  Apoftle  recommends  mutual 
exhortation  in  this  paflage,  Exhort  oiie  another  daily ^ 
ijt^bUe  it  is  called^  to-day ;  lest  any  of  y&u  be  hardened 
through  the  deceitfidness  qf  sin.  Would  you,  therefore, 
admonifh  any  perfon  to  his  real  profit  ?  make  ufe  of  pair- 
ticulars,  to  convince  him  of  the  evil  of  all  fm,  as  facb, 
and  its  power  and  influence  over  him  by  nature.  WheA 
you  reprove  him  for  any  fault  he  has  committed,  ftiew 
him  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fin,  and  where,  if  he  do  not 
fpeedily  ftop,  he  will  be  landed  at  kft.  Let  his  eternal 
ftate  be  the  motive  that  urges  you  to  the  duty,  and  kt 
the  fame  great  confideration  be  made  ufe  of  to  carry  home 
the  inftruftion  with  power  and  efficacy  upon  bis  heart. 

5thly,  In  the  laft  place.  Let  thofe  who  would  acquit 
^hemfelves  of  this  duty,  in  a  proper  manner,  be  particu- 
larly watchful  and  circumfpetl  in  dieir  own  condu£!.  It 
is  evident,  tliat  nothing  can  be  more  unfuitable,  than  f&t 
thofe,  who  take  upon  them  to  admonifli  others,  to  b» 
grofsly  and  vifibly  blameabk  themfeives.     It  is,  indeed. 


The  BcceitfJness  of  Sin,  143 

fo   Uitolercible,  tliat    nobody  can  bear  their  inflruftions 
with  patience.     You  know,  from  daily  experience,  that 
recrimination  is  the  firft  thing  to  whix:n  thofe  who  are  re- 
prehended  betake  themiehcs.     The   moment  they   ai-e 
ihallenged,  the  reply  is  ready    A\  hy,  7°"  V^^^^^'  ^j;.^^ 
and  fo,  or,  perhaps,  worfe.     So  prone  are  d^ey  to  this, 
that  many  times  they  will  upbraid  men  with  mnocent  or 
Javvfal  things,  as  if  they  were  faults,  to  cover  tl.eir  own 
guilty    praaice.     Now,  if  this   is  tue   cafe,  how   nmch 
more  hurtful  muft  it  be  for  thofe,  wl,a  reprove  others,  l^o  be 
reallv  liable  to  juft  accufatiou  diemfcivcs,  and,  perhaps 
V.mn  the   fame  fubjea  ?     Therefore   our  Saviour  lays, 
with  the  sreateil  f.rength  and  propriety,  Luke  vi.  41,  4^. 
"  And  why  beholdefl  thou  the  mote  that  is  m  tb.y  brother  3 
*'  eve,  but  perceived  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
«  eve  '     Either,  how  canft  thou  fay  to  thy  brother,  Bro- 
"  ther  let  me  r-ull  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye,  when 
"  thou  thyfelf,  beholden  not  the  beam  that  is  in  tlnne  own 
**  eve  ^'     Thou  hynocrite,  caft  out  firfl  tlie  beam  out  o 
"  diine  own  eve,  and  then  fhalt  thou  fee  clearly  to  pull 
«  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brodier's  eye  ?»     Perhaps, 
my  brethren,  fome  of  you  are  faying  within  yourfelvcs  : 
Alas '  you  have  now  deftroyed  the  whole  cffed  ot  what 
has  been  urged,  at  fo  great  length,  on  the  duty  of  mutual 
exhortation ;  for  where  is  the  man  that  is  without  iin,  to 
reprove  his  neighbor  ?     My  brethren,  no  doubt  we  hav-e 
all  fuch  {Idlings  as  ought  to  make  us.  do  it  with  meeknels 
^   and  felf-denial ;  yet  furely  we  both  may  and  ought  to 
walk  fo  circumfpeaiy,  as  not  to  be  juftly  liable  to  heavy 
accufations.     Though  there  is  no  holding  of  intemperate 
tongues,  yet,  furely,  there  is  fuch  a  thing  as  a  converla- 
tion  becoming  1,he  gofpel,  which  will  entitle  the  fervant  of 
Chrill  to  anpear  with  fome  meafureof  courage  m  his  mat- 
ter's caufc';  nay,  and  fuch  an  habitual  love  of  mankind, 
as  may  fomctimes  open  their  ears  to  his  falutary  counfel. 
And  believe  it,  thofe  who  begin  to  make  Qonicience  of 
their  dutv  to  their  neighbor,  either  in  a  family,  or  a  wider 
fohere,  vvill  find  i.s  powerful  and  happy  influence  as  a  re- 
itraiat  upon  their  own  condud.     They  will  be  naturally 
led  to  double  their  diligence,  lelUheir  example  ihould  un- 


144  The  Deceitfulness  of  Sin. 

happily,  fruftrate  the  effeiSl  of  their  reproofs. One  par- 
ticular more  I  rnuft  add,  that  the  next  thing  to  being  al- 
ways in  the  right,  is  to  be  humble,  and  ready  to  confefs 
when  you  have  been  in  the  wrong.  This  alfo  is  a  fcrip- 
ture  precept,  James  v.  16,  "  Confefs  your  faults  one  to 
"  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that  ye  may  be 
"  healed."  I  am  perfuiided  that  few  things  would  add 
greater  weight  to  any  perfon's  admonitions,  than  his  being 
willing  to  confefs,  and  ready  to  amend,  any  thing  that  was 
pointed  out  to  him  as  blameable  in  his  own  conduft. 

I  come  now,  in  the  lafl  place,  to  make  fome  pra6lical 
application  of  what  has  been  faid.     And, 

1.  From  what  has  been  faid,  you  may  fee  the  great  cor- 
ruption and  depravity  of  our  nature.  I  look  upon  it  as 
of  great  moment  to  have  a  deep  and  growing  conviction 
of  this  truth.  It  is  the  language  of  fcripture,  it  is  the  lan- 
guage of  experience,  and  it  is  the  parent  of  humility.  I 
obferved,  in  the  beginning  of  my  difcourfe  on  this  fubjeft, 
and  it  appears  From  every  thing  that  has  been  faid  upon 
it,  that  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  is  but  another  expreflion  for 
the  treachery  of  the  human  heart.  In  vain  would  the  ob- 
jefts  of  fin  appear  before  us  ;  in  vain  vvould  Satan  and  his 
emifiaries  prefent  their  folicitations,  if  our  ov/n  inclina- 
tion did  not  plead  powerfully  in  their  favor.  To  be  deep- 
ly convinced  of  this,  v/ill  lead  to  the  exercife  of  penitence, 
and  to  felf-denial,  v;hich  is  the  bell  mean  of  our  fupport 
and  prefdrvation,  If  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm  lies  chiefly  in 
ourfeives,  that  man  will  guard  againft  it  in  the  moil  effec- 
tual manner,  who  has  learned  to  fear  himfelf  as  his  own 
greateft  enemv, 

2.  From  v/hat  has  been  faid,  let  us  be  led  to  ilrictnefs 
and  frequer.cy  in  felf-examination.  If  fin  is  fo  deceitful, 
it  \Tiiv  cafily  lurk  unobferved.  Sell-knowledge  is  a 
^ludy  of  as  great  diflicully  as  importance.  You  have 
heard  what  artful  difguifes  fin  puts  on,  and  how  dreadful- 
ly fame  lja\c  been  led  afi:ray.  The  very  beil  duties  may 
be  polluted  by  fi.nful  motives,  arid  the  very  vvorft  things 

"may  be  done  by  an  cri'ing  confcience,  of  Vvhich  v.^e  may 
juiMy  fay,  with  cur  Saviour,  Matth.  vi.  23.  ."  — If  thert^- 


The  Deceit  fulness  of  Sin,  145 

"  fore  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  darknefs,  hovv  great  is 
"  that  darknefs  !'*  The  okl  heathen  precept,  "  Know 
"  thyfelf,"  was  reckoned  fo  excellent  a  faying,  that  they 
fuppofed  it  to  be  a  revelation  from  Heaven.  And,  in  the 
holy  Scriptures,  we  have  many  exhortations  to  fclf-exami- 
nation.  I  fliall  only  mention  that  of  the  apoille  Paul, 
2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  "  Examine  yourfelves,  whether  ye  be  in 
"  the  faith ;  prove  your  own  felves  :  know  ye  not  your 
*'  own  felves,  how  that  Jefus  Chrill  is  in  you,  except  ye 
"  be  reprobates  ?"  Nay,  after  all  our  pains  to  examine 
ourlclves,  there  ought  to  remain  fuch  a  fufpicion  of  our 
own  treachery,  as  fliould  make  us  intreat,  humbly  and 
earncftly,  the  more  impartial  trial  of  a  heart-fearching 
God,  Pfal.  xix.  12.  "  Who  can  underftand  his  errors  ? 
'•'  Cleanfe  thou  me  from  fecret  faults."  Pfal.  cxxxix.  23, 
24.  "  Search  me,  O  God  !  and  know  my  heart :  try  me, 
"  and  know  my  thoughts  :  and  fee  if  there  be  any  wicked 
"  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlalting." 

3.  From  what  hath  been  laid,  let  me  befeech  all,  but 
cfpecially  younoj  perfons,  to  beware  of  the  beginnings  of 
fro.  It  may  be  faidof  fm,  in  general,  as  Solomon  fays  of 
ftrife,  "  the  beginning  of  it  is  like  the  letting  out  of  wa- 
"  ter."  Beware  of  all  that  difcourfe  which  tends  to  give 
you  flight  thoughts  of  any  fni.  Sometimes  men  conlider 
fins  as  fniall  fms,  and  therefore  tolerable.  Many  parents 
have  thought  it  wrong  to  check  their  children  for  the  fol- 
lies and  levities  of  youth,  and  have  found,  to  their  inelan- 
choly  experience,  that  when  follies  liad  been  fuflered  to 
ripen  into  crimes,  they  had  taken  too  deep  hold  to  be  root- 
ed up.  Many  make  light  of  fm  by  comparifon.  How 
common  is  the  pretence  of  the  drunkards  :  We  are  harm- 
ing nobody ;  we  are  not  fpeaking  ill  of  our  neighbors  ; 
we  are  not  opprefilng  the  poor.  In  the  mean  time,  they 
are  foon  led  to  curling  and  blafphemy ;  and,  perhaps,  by 
their  riotous  living,  they  are  unable  to  pay  their  jud  debts, 
rob  the  induflrious  poor  of  their  right,  and,  for  the  indul- 
gence of  a  beaitly  appetite,  bring  their  own  oflspring  to 
beggary  and  ruin.  Such  is  the  beh.avior  of  many  of  your 
harndefs  people  ;  mtn  of  focial  friendly  diipciitions,  that, 
if  you  beUsve  them,  v/ould  not  wrong  their  neighbor  o'l  2 


146  The  Demtfidnesi  o/Sif^r 

fardiing  to  their  knowledge  ;  and  y<:t  k  would  be  happy 
for  any  man  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  highway  robbers,  ra- 
ther than  into  their  fociety.  How  Ihort-fighted  men  are  I 
they  not  only  foi^et  to  look  forward  to  the  other  worlds 
but  look  not  even  to  any  diftanee  in  this.  From  time  to 
time  we  are  made  fools  by  fm,  which  never  afk  more  of 
ns  than  the  prefent  compliaiice ;  yet,  if  this  is  granted^ 
never  leaves  us  till  our  ftate  is  irrecoverable.  What  rea- 
lon  have  all  to  be  afraid  of  that  deplorahie  hardnefe  of 
heart  which  is  the  cenfequence  ^  the  continued  indul- 
gence of  fm.  Let  us  never  confider  any  fin  by  itfelf,  but 
together  with  that  ugly  train  which  it  draws  behind  it ; 
and,  then,  though  ©ur  falfe  hearts  might  plead  for  the 
indulgence  of  a  fmgk  lull,  they  may  nc*  be  fo  willing  to 
fubmit  to  that  deluge  of  vice  which  follows  fail  at  its 
heels. 

4.  In  the  laO:  place,  I  Ihall  clofe  the  fubjed,  by  addreff- 
ing  an  exhortation  to  thofe  of  my  hearers,  who  have  been 
long  and  hardened  fmners ;  who  have  many  habits  of  vice 
cleaving  to  them ;  who  have  hitherto  defpifed  the  gofpel, 
and  even  fat  in  the  feat  of  the  feernful.  No  doubt,  you 
have  heard,  in  vain,  and,  perhaps,  with  contempt,  many 
exhortations  of  this  kind  before  ;  and  therefore,  there  is, 
humanly  fpeaking,  but  little  hope,  that  any  thing  I  can 
fay  will  have  the  effeft.  However,  as  our  bleffed  and  gra- 
cious Mailer  has  commanded  his  gofpel  to  be  preached  to 
every  creature,  this  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  is  able, 
by  his  Spirit  accompanying  the  word,  to  lay  the  proudeft 
and  the  boldell  of  his  enemies  proflrate  at  his  feet ;  let  me 
befeech  you,  in  his  name,  to  hear,  that  your  fouls  may  live. 
Why  will  you  longer  continue  at  enmity  with  him,  while 
he  his  offering  you  mercy  ?  nay,  he  is  treating  you  with  mer- 
cy in  every  inftancc  of  his  kind  providence,  in  the  re- 
newed meflages  of  his  blelFed  word,  and  in  his  dying  ago- 
nies on  the  accurfed  tree  !  Have  you  been  long  wedded 
to  fin  ?  he  is  able  to  fet  you  free  ;  he  came  to  deilroy  the 
works  of  the  devil,  and  is  able  to  knock  off  the  ftrongefl 
fetterSj  and  reftore  liberty  to  the  moll:  forrowful  captive. 
"  We,  then,  as  workers  together  with  him,  befeech  you 
"  alio,  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace  of  Cod  in  vain.** 


I 


'The  Dcccitfuhiess  of  Sin.  147 

iRemeniber,  on  the  other  hand,  I  befcech  you,  the  drc:id- 
fiil  vengeance  that  awaits  the  defpifers  of  the  gofpel.  If 
oil  ftill  refule  the  gracious  offer ;  if  you  will  not  fuffer 
is  mercy  to  be  glorified  in  your  recoveiy,  his  holinefs, 
power,  and  juflice,  (liall  be  ilhiftrated  in  your  perdition. 
Time  is  haftening  away  ;  judgment  is  hailening  on ;  no 
refufmg  to  appear  at  that  bar ;  no  deceiving  or  biafling 
that  judge  ;  no  room  to  efcape  ;  no  Iburce  of  conlblation 
under  that  fentence.  How  infupportable  the  reflection 
on  opportunity  irrecoverably  loft !  And  hov/  terrible  the 
fanftion  which  follows  upon  the  offer  of  mercy  !  You  may 

read  it,  Prov.  i.  24, 31.  "''  Becaufe  I  have  called,  and 

"  ye  refufed,  I  have  ftretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man 
*'  regarded  :  but  ye  have  fet  at  nought  all  my  counfel, 
*'  and  would  none  of  my  reproof:  I  alfo  will  laugh  at  your 
*'  calamity,  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh.  When 
*'  your  fear  cometh  as  defolation.  and  your  deftruO.iori 
**  cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  dlftrefs  and  angulfli  com- 
"  eth  upon  you.  Then  fliall  they  call  upon  me,  but  I 
*'  will  not  anfwer ;  they  fhall  feek  me  early,  but  they 
*^  fhall  not  find  me  :  for  that  they  hated  knowledge,  and 
*'  did  not  chule  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  They  would  none 
*'  of  my  counfel ;  they  defpifed  all  my  reproof :  there- 
""  fore  fhall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of  their  own  way,  and 
"  be  filled  with  their  own  devices." 

I  only  add,  if  any  imprcflion  is  made  on  your  minds,  Oi" 
"the  importance  of  eternity,  fuffer  it  to  abide  there.  Let 
it  have  an  immediate  effect.  Of  all  the  deceits  of  fin  or 
Satan,  none  more  fatal  than  that  of  putting  off  convidions 
to  a  more  convenient  feafon.  I  conclude,  therefore,  witli 
the  words  of  Solomon,  Ecclcf.  ix,  10.  "  Whatfoever  tliy 
**  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might ;  for  there  1^ 
**  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wifdom,  in 
**  the  grave  whither  thou  goeft."     Amen. 


[     149     ] 


ou*)  "TOb  KVu  '^fw  ero^  0009  t<?Ae  Mv  '«'*o  woo  ocoo  coco  flo'to  Qoeo  cooo  mm  eeoo  rMC  cvyt  con  mm  ae)09  sooo  woo  fook 
ob«*  ocKM  tte^  cooo  9oeo  MOO  MOO  oooo  POX  0000  cooj  0000  eeoo  ooeo  ooio  oooo  oooo  0000 1000  00O3  eoeo  oeoo  oeo}  o?:m  oooo 


The  believer  going  to  GOD  as  his  EXCEED. 
ING  JOY. 


SERMON. 


Plalm  xliii.  4. 

^ben  iviil  I  go  unto  the  altar  of  God^  unto  God  my  exceed- 
ing joy. 

IT  is  of  great  moment  to  attend  to  the  proper  mixture 
of  reverence  and  love  which  ought  to  pofi'els  our  hcaits 
in  the  vvorfhip  of  the  living  God.  If  they  arife  from  proper 
principles,  they  will  not  deftroy  or  weaken,  but  ilrengthen 
one  another.  A  believer  can  never  lye  too  low  in  the 
dud  before  the  moll  holy  God  ;  he  can  never  be  too  fen- 
fible  eidicr  of  his  diftance  as  a  creature,  or  his  guilt  and 
unworthinefs  as  a  fmner  :  but,  at  the  lame  time,  he  can 
never  be  too  deeply  penetrated  with  a  fenfe  of  divine  love, 
or  ha\'e  too  llrong  and  ardent  defires  after  communion 
and  fellowfliip  with  God.  The  truth  is,  the  lower  we  are 
in  our  own  fight,  it  doth  but  the  more  illuitrate  and  mag- 
nify all  the  grace  that  is  fhewn  to  us  in  the  gofpel :  and 
the  more  joyfully  we  contemphite  the  fulnefs  of  our  por- 
tion in  an  infinite  God,  it  will  but  the  more  bring  back 
this  refiedlion,  and  conitrain  us  to  confefs,  that  we  are  lefs 
than  the  leaft  of  all  his  mercies. 

In  feveral  pafTages  of  the  Pfalms  of  David,  we  have  very 
warm  and  fervent  expreflions  of  the  delight  which  the 
man  after  God's  own  heart  had  in  the  worihip  of  his  fanc- 
tuary.  There  are  few  of  thefe  more  beautiful  and  forci- 
ble than  the  paflage  of  which  mv  text  is  a  part,  "  O  fend 
Vol.  II.  T 


150  The  Believer  going  to  God 

*'  out  thy  light  and  thy  truth  ;  let  them  lead  me  ;  let  them 
*'  bring  me  unto  t!iy  holy  hill,  and  to  tliy  tabernacles. 
*'  Then  will  I  go  uino  the  altar  of  God^  unto  God  my  ex- 
**  ceeding  joyy  That  which  feems  to  have  brought  the 
Pfalmift  to  this  ib"iking  and  beautiful  thought,  was,  liis 
being  under  the  prefTure  of  heavy  affliiftion  ;  and,  particu- 
larly, in  a  Hate  of  diftance  and  jjaniniment  from  the  tem- 
ple fervice.  This  led  him  to  flee  for  refuge  to  God,  his 
almighty  friend  and  unchangeable  portion.  Did  the  Pfal- 
miil  then  go  to  God  as  his  confolation  in  dillrefs  ?  What 
reafon  is  there  for  every  Chriflian  to  p:o  to  him  as  his 
Father  and  his  God,  not  only  for  fupport  under  the  vari- 
ous trials  of  this  mortal  (late,  but  for  happinefs  and  peace 
after  he  hath  ieen  and  felt  the  inherent  vanity  of  every 
created  enjoyment  ? 

All  I  fhall  further  add  upon  the  words  is,  that  what 
David  is  here  praying  for,  is  to  be  brought  to  thie  temple 
of  God,  to  have  accefsto  his  courts,  and  communion  with 
him  there.  This  he  plainly  looks  upon  as  a  fource  of  ex- 
ceeding joy;  and,  furel)%  to  thofe  who  are  duly  difpofed 
for  it,  there  is  not,  there  cannot  be,  in  this  world,  a  more 
delightful  employment  than  the  joint  celebration  of  our 
Creator  and  Redeemer's  praife  ;  than  the  united  voice  of 
his  fervants  in  his  teinple.  It  is  the  neareit  approach  wx 
can  make  to  the  employment  of  hea.ven,  and  the  moft  fen- 
fible  foretaite  we  can  have  of  its  hap])inefs  in  this  foreign 
land. 

But,  my  brethren,  I  mufl  limit  the  fubjeft  to  what  is 
the  particular  and  dilUnguifliing  employment  of  this  day, 
— the  holy  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  fi  pper,  commemora- 
ting our  Redeemer's  dying  love.  This  was  called  by  the 
ancients  the  Eucharist^  or  Sacrifice  oj  Praise.  And,  in- 
deed, no  difpofition  is  more  proper  or  necefTary,  in  at- 
tending upon  it,  than  a  joyful  and  thankful  frame  of  fpirit. 
This  will  be  like  a  precious  perfume,  which  will  fill  tlie 
houfe  with  its  fragrance,  and  will  greatly  Iti-engthen  every 
other  gracious  difpolition  ;  and,  therefore,  my  intention  is., 
through  the  alTiflance  of  divine  grace, 


t;^  his  Exceeding  joy.  151 

I.  To  fliew  you  what  matter  of  joy  and  fatisfadlion  there 
is  to  every  fincere  ChrilUan,  in  uliat  is  reprefented  to  our 
view  in  the  lacranient  of  the  Ix)rd's  fupper;  or,  for  what 
rcafons  \\c  ought,  in  this  foicnm  fcryice  in  a  particular 
manner,  to  go  to  God  as  our  exceeding  joy. 

Jlavin,^  done  fo,  I  fhall  make  fome  pra6licvil  improve- 
ment of  the  fubjcot  for  }oi:r  inllruclion  and  direclion. 

In  the  firft  place,  then,  I  am  to  Ihcvv  you  what  matter 
of  joy  and  fatisfaction  there  is  to  every  lincere  ChrilUan,  in 
what  is  reprefented  to  our  view  in  the  facrament  of  the 
Lord's  fupper ;  or  for  what  reafons  we  ought,  in  this  fo- 
lemn  fervice,  ia  a  particular  manner,  to  go  to  God  as  our 
exceeding  joy.     J  am  deeply  fenfible,  my  brethren,  that  I 
liave  entered  on  a  talk  to  which  1  am  very  unequal,  to 
raife  your  minds  to  that  fublime  temper,  of  joy  in  God, 
and  to  difclole  that  fountain  of  joy  tliere  is  to  every  be- 
liever, in  what  his  Redeemer  has  done,  and  is  Hill  doing 
for  him.     It  is  I'o  great  a  fubjed,  that  we  ourfelves  may 
fee  how  unfit  a  mortal  tongue  is  to  fpeak  of  it :  and  there- 
fore, I  Ihall,  in  the   entry,  pray  "  that  God  may   fhed 
*'  abroad  his  love  in  our  hearts ;  that  he  may  fend  forth 
"  his  light  and  his  truth,  that  they  may  be  guides  to  us;" 
and  accompany  the  word  fpoken  with  the  powerful  energy 
of  the  fpirit  of  confolation.     But  a  little  of  that  real  com- 
munion with  God  which  is  the  work  of  his  Spirit,  and 
which  he  fometimes  vouchfafes  to  his  people,  will  give 
tliem  fuch  a  lively  fenfe  of  his  love  and  joy  in  him,  as 
they  themfelves  know  may  be  felt,  but  cannot  be  expref- 
ied  :   and  I  cannot  forbear  already  obfcrving  to  you,  that 
the  meanefl;  real  Chrillian  fhall,  one  day,  in  the  higher 
houfe,  have  fuch  a  fulnefs  of  joy,  and  fuch  conceptions  of 
God  and  his  Redeemer's  love,  that  he  fhall  look  down, 
with  wonder,  at  the  weak  and  imperfect  ftrctches  of  our 
imagination  after  it  now.     But  fo  long  as  we  are  here,  let 
us  patiently  content  ourfelves  with  what  is  given  us  as 
neceflary  to   fupport  our  weary  Heps  in  this  defolate  wil- 
dernefs  ;  with  what  this  ordinance,  inftituted  for  enliven- 
ing our  faith,  fupplics  us  for  our  comfort  and  joy. 


152  The  Believer  going  to  God 

For  this  purpofe,  let  me  beg  your  attention  to  the  fol- 
lowing confiderations. 

I.  You  ought  to  go  to  God,  in  this  ordinance,  as  your 
exceeding  joy,  becaufe,  in  it,  you  have  the  fulleft  aifurance 
and  the  cleareft  evidence  of  the  forgivenels  of  your  fins» 
and  peace  vi'ith  your  offended  Maker.  This  is  the  preli- 
minary mercy  which,  with  refpecl  to  fallen  creatures, 
muft  open  the  way  to  every  other  bleffing.  Nothing  Tq 
much  damps  our  joy  in  God,  and  leffens  our  fatistuftion 
in  addreffing  him,  as  confcioufnefs  of  guilt.  Thic  it  is 
that  makes  religion  fo  unpleafant  to  the  carnal  worldling ; 
even  the  fecure  linner,  who  feems  to  walk-  without  fear,  is 
yet  deterred  by  natural  confcience  from  drawing  near  to 
God.  He  does  all  in  his  power  to  rid  his  miiid  of  the 
thoughts  of  God's  ordinary  and  conltant  prefence  with 
him  in  every  place.  A  horror  of  his  Maker  poileffes  liis 
mind  a.t  all  times  ;  he  cannot  love  him  as  a  gracious  Fa- 
ther, becaufe  he  hates  him  as  an  enem.y,  and  fears  him  as; 
a  righteous  judge.  Nay,  the  fame  thing  it  is  that  makes 
lis  all  feel  fo  frequently  an  averfion  at  the  duties  of  reHgi- 
on.  The  cold  hand  of  a  fpirit  of  bondage  freezes  up  the 
affe6lions.  Trembhng  and  fear  taketh  hold  upon  us.  An 
inward  dread  and  jealoufy  of  our  own  ftate  throws  a  gloom 
and  darknefs,  as  it  were,  through  the  temple  of  God. 
And,  with  whatever  ftrength  or  beauty  the  promifes  or 
privileges  of  the  faints  may  be  fet  forth,  there  is,  a  lecret 
reftraint  upon  us,  and  as  a  voice  difcharging  us  from 
touching  them,  as  forbidden  fruit.  Were  we  but  as  pure, 
and  free  from  guilt,  we  ftiould,  with  as  much  joy  and 
fatisfaftion,  draw  nigh  to  God,  as  the  angels  do  in  Hea- 
ven. 

I  have  been  the  more  full  in  opening  this  to.  you,  that 
you  may  lee  the  foundation  there  is  in  nature,  and  in  fa6t, 
for  the  leading  do6lrine  of  the  gofpel,  "  Chrift  Jefus  Jet 
"  forth  as  a  propitiation  for  fins,  through  faith  in  his 
"  blood." 

His  blefTed  body  was  broken,  and  his  precious  blood 
was  filed,  for  the  remiffion  of  fins.  Are  you  to  comme- 
morate this  ?  are  you  to  receive  the  vifible  figns  and  the 
appointed  feals  of  it  ?  does  not  this  afilire  you,  that  your 


as  his  Exceeding  Joy.  i^i 

fins  are  forgiven  for  Chria's  fake  ?     Are  your  fins  very 
great  ?  lire  they  niiiny   in  number,  and  heinous  in  their 
aggravations  ?  '  Cor.lider  the  infinite  vahie  of  tliis  I'acred 
Wood.     It  was  no  lefs  than  that  of  the  eiernal  Son  of  God, 
who  cliearfully  undertook  our  caufe  :   "  and  the  Lord   laid 
"  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."     Ifa.  liii.   5.  "  He  was 
"  wounded  for  our  tranf^rcffions,  he  was  bruifed  for  our 
''  iniquities  ;  the  chailifenient  of  our  peace  was  upon  him; 
"  and  vvitli  his  i tripes  we  are  healed."    O  unfearchable  my  f- 
tery  !   O  the  infinite  holinefs  of  God  !    O  tiie  tremendous 
juliice  of  God  !     How  well  may  Uie  exhortation  be  prelf- 
ed,  Ifa.  i.  18.  ♦*  Come  now,  and  let  us   reafon  together, 
''  faith  the  Lord  :  though  your  fins  be  as  fcarlct,  they  fliall 
"  be  as  white  as  fnow  ;  though  they  be  red  like   crimfon» 
♦'  they   Ihall  be  as  wool."     Well   may  we  fay  widi   the 
apoillc  Paul,  1  Tim.  i.  15.  ''  This  is  a  faithful  faying,  and 
*'  worthy  oi  all   acceptation,  that  Chrifi:   Jefus  came   into 
"  the  world,  tofave  finners,  of  whom  I  am  chief."    AxQ 
you  afraid  of  the  condemning  fentence  of  the  law.  Gal. 
iii.  13.  *'  Chriil  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the 
"  law,  being  made  a  curfe  for  us."     Are  you  afliamed  to 
appear  before  God  in  your   own  undeferving  character, 
hear,  and  comply  with  your  Saviour's  own  counfel,  Rev. 
iii.  18.  "  1  counfel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
^'  that  thou  mayeil  be  rich,  and  white  raiment  that  thou 
"  maye'il  be  clothed,  and  that  the  fhame  of  thy  nakednefs 
"  do  not   appear ;  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-falve, 
''  that  thou  mayeil  fee."     In  the  fpotlefs  robes  of  your  Re- 
deemer's righteoufncfs,  you  fhall  be  adorned  for  the  courts 
of  your  God,  and  dwell  in  his  prefence.     Are  you  afraid 
to  apply  all  this  to  yourfclves  ?     This  is  the  exprefs  pur- 
pofe  of  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  fupper,  to  confirm  and 
clofe  the  covenant  of  peace  with  every  partaker.     Do  you 
^oubt  the  fincerity  of  the  ofler  upon  God's  part  ?    See  him 
difpenfing  the  healing  medicine,  "This  is  my  body,  which 
''  was  broken  for  you  ;  this  do   in  remembrance  of  me. 
"  As  often  as  you  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye 
*'  do  Ihew  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."     Hear  him  fay- 
ing,   Matth.  xi.  28.  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor, 
*' and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  relt."     Hear 


154  5"^^  Believer  going  to  God 

him  further  faying,  John  vi.  37.  "Him  that  cometh  to 
"  me,  I  will  in  no  wife  call  out."  Ifa.  iv.  i.  "  Ho,  eveiy 
"  one  that  thirfteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters  ;  and  he  that 
'^  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come  buy 
"  wine  and  milk,  without  money,  and  without  price." 
Rev.  xxii.  17.  ••'  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  fay.  Come  ; 
"  and  let  him  that  heareth  fay.  Come;  and  let  him  that 
"  is  athirll.  Come.  And  whofoever  will,  let  him  take 
^  the  water  of  life  freely."  All  who  have  truly  groaned 
under  a  fenfe  of  guilt  may  here  fee  their  pardon  feaied,  and 
may  and  ought  to  rejoice  in  it,  as  theirs ;  and,  unlefs  they 
doubt  the  faithfulnefs  of  God's  word,  or  the  efficacy  of 
their  Saviour's  merit,  may  triumph  in  both,  and  fet  at  de- 
fiance the  thunders  of  the  law,  the  reproaches  of  confci- 
ence,  and  the  accufations  of  the  devil.  They  may  fay, 
with  the  apoftle  Paul,  Rom.  viii.  33,34.  "  Wlio  fhall  lay 
*■'  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  eleft  ?  It  is  God  that 
"  juliiiieth  :  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Chrill 
"  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  rifen  again,  who  is  even 
"  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  alfo  maketh  interceflion 
«  for  us." 

2.  You  ought  to  go  to  God,  in  this  ordinance,  as  your 
exceeding  joy^  as  it  affords  the  flrongeft  and  moll  illuftri- 
ous  proof  of  divine  love.  This,  my  brethren,  is  the  im- 
mediate fubjeft  of  our  contemplation  in  the  Lord's  i'upper ; 
and  I  chufe  to  confider  it  as  an  argument  by  itfclf,  fepa- 
rately  from  its  fruits,  becaufe  nothing  ferves  more  to  heigh- 
ten our  affe6tion  to,  and  delight  in  God,  than  a  firm  per- 
fuafion  of  his  love  to  us.  Is  it  a  comfortable  thing  to  have 
the  pardon  of  our  fms  ?  It  is  alfo  unfpeakably  refrelhing, 
and  even  ravifhing,  to  view,  in  faith,  the  wonderful 
means  by  which  it  is  accompliihed.  We  may  confider, 
fhortly  here,  the  riches  of  redeeming  grace,  as  extending 
to  the  fmncrs  of  Adam's  race  in  general  i  and,  then,  what 
it  is  for  every  believer  to  confider  himfelf  as  the  determi- 
nate object  of  divine  regard  in  the  councils  of  peace.  The 
Vv^hole  perfedlions  of  an  infinite  God  Hiine  with  united 
luflre  in  the  work  of  redemption.  His  power,  wifdom, 
holinefs,  andjuiUce,  are  feverallyand  jointly  illuftrated 
in  it.     His  unfearchable  wifdom  is  mentioned,  Rom.  xi. 


as  bis  Exceeding  Joy.  155 

33.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and 
"  knowledge  of  God  !     How  iinfearchable  are  liis  judj^- 
"  nients,  and  his  ways  pall  finding  out  !"     His  miglity 
power,  Eph.  i.  19.  ''  And  what  is  the  exceeding  greatnels 
*'  of  his  power  to  iis-ward,  whobeUeve,  according  to  tiie 
"  working,  of  liis  mighty  power,"     I'he  righteoufnefs  of 
his    government,  Rom.  iii.  26.  "  To  declare,  I  fay,    at 
"  this  time,  liis  righteoufnefs,  that  he  might  be  juil,  and 
*'  the  jullifier   of  him  which    believeth  in  Jefus."     But 
love  is  moll  conipicuous  of  all ;  and  is  therefore  mofl  fre- 
quently infilled  on,  John  iii.  16.  ''  God  fo  loved  the  world, 
*'  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoibever  be- 
*'  lievedi  in  him,  ihould  not  perifh,  but  have   everlailing 
*'  life."     Rom.  v.  8.  "  God  commendeth  his  love  towards 
"  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  fmners,  Chriil  died  for 
*'  us."     Eph.   iii.  17,  i8,  19.  "That  Chrill  may   dwell 
"  in  your  hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye  being  rooted  and  ground- 
"•  ed  in  love,  may  be  able  to  compreiiend,  with  all  faints, 
"  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height, 
*■'■  and  to   know  the  love  of  Chrilt,  which  pallclh    know- 
"  ledge."     And  indeed,  my  brethren,  it  pali'eth  the  pow- 
er of  man  to  open  fully  the  greatnefs  of  the  love  of  God 
to  linners  in  Chriil  Jei'us.     It  is  a  fubject  which  we  arc  fo 
far  from  being  able  now  to  exhaull,  that  it  fnall  aftord  mat- 
ter for  adoring  inquiry  to  all  eternity,  whilll  the  everlail- 
ing God  lives  and  reigns  with  his  faints,  and  unfolds  to 
them,  age  after  age,  more  ample  views  of  his  goodnefs 
and  greatnefs.     i>y  what  Ihall  we   mcafure  the   love  of  a 
friend,  but  by  the  greatnefs  of  his  gifts  ?   Wliat  fentiment 
then  Ihall  we  entertain  of  the  love  of  God  lor  his  (jullly 
liyled)  unfpeakable  gift  ?     He  has  given  us  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  "who  was  from  eternity  in  the  bolom  of  the 
"  Father  ;  the  brightnefs  of  his  Fatlier's  glory,  and  the  ex- 
"  prefs  image  of  Ins  pcrfon;"  the  belt  and  greatelt  of  crea- 
ted beings,  nay,  the  wliole  creation  itlelf,  had  been  noth- 
ing compared  to  it. 

The  truth  is,  1  am  ready  to  think  that  there  feems  to  be 
fomething  like  divine  contrivance,  and  infinite  defign,  ni 
tliis  particular  circumltance.  All  created  things  are  in 
tliemfelves  equal,  and  alike  eafy,  to  the  power  of  God, 


156  The  Believer  going  to  God 

being  but  the  efTecls  of  his  fimple  will.  For  this  reafon 
there  could  be  no  comparative  greatnels  in  any  I'uch  gifts. 
There  was  therefore  but  this  one  way  left  to  exprefs  an 
uncommon  degree  of  love,  that  he  who  was  one  and  equal 
with  the  Father,  fhould  himfelf  be  employed  in  the  nief- 
fage,  and  "  bear  our  fins  in  his  own  body,  on  the  tree." 
Nothing  elfe  could  have  made  man  an  expenfive  purchafe. 
Nothing  elfe  that  God  could  beiiow,  would  have  had  any 
appearance  of  doing  violence  to  himfelf;  or  could  give 
meaning  and  beauty  to  that  expreffion,  Romans  viii.  32. 
*'  He  that  fpared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
"  for  us  all,  how  fhall  he  not  with  him  alfo  freely  give  us 
"  all  things  ?"  The  Lord  of  the  vineyard,  in  the  parable, 
is  reprefented  as  in  fufpenfe,  how  to  fall  upon  a  method 
to  break  the  ftubbornefs  of  the  hufbandmen,  Luke  xx.  13. 
*'  Thenfaid  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard,  what  lliall  I  do  ?  I 
*'  will  fend  my  beloved  Son,  it  may  be  they  will  reverence 
*'  him  when  they  fee  him."  Let  us  paraphrafe  and  ap- 
ply it.  God,  who  bears  the  perfon  of  the  mafler  of  the 
vineyard,  may  be  fuppofed  to  fay,  what  Ihall  reclaim  thefe 
obilinate  children  of  mercy,  become  rebels  ?  Nothing  but 
the  invincible  force  of  faperior  love.  But  wherein  hiall 
the  love  of  the  eternal  God  appear  to  advantage  ?  in  noth- 
ing but  an  eternal  gift :  they  Ihall  not  be  cheaply  pufcha- 
fed,  they  fhall  be  bought  Vv'ith  blood,  with  that  facred 
blood,  which  fhall  be  the  furprife  of  angels,  and  the  won- 
der of  heaven.  Thefe  refledtions  i  would  make  with  re- 
verence, on  this  elevated  and  delightful,  but  awful  and 
tremendous  theme.  One  thing  appears  clearly  from 
them,  that  it  is  not  only  obfcuring  the  lullre,  not  only 
weakening  the  force,  but  deitroying  the  very  being  of  re- 
deeming love,  to  deny  the  proper  and  eternal  Godhead  of 
Chrifl:,  the  Mediator.  But,  Oh  !  my  brethren,  what  an 
improvement  is  it,  to  tlie  contemplation  of  the  love  of 
God,  for  each  of  us  to  confider  himfelf  as  having  been 
from  eternity  the  objeft  of  it.  While  I  taile  the  ilreams 
of  his  bounty,  may  1  thus  trace  it  back  to  its  fource !  Did 
he  love  me  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  !  Did  he  pity 
me,  when  in  unprovoked  rebellion  againft  him  !  Did  he 
make  fo  gracious  provifion  for  my  recovery  and  falvation! 


as  bis  Exceeding  Joy,  157 

Did  he  make  atonement  for  my  guilt,  by  the  blood  of  his 
own  Son  !  and  conquer  my  heart  by  the  power  of  his  fo- 
verei:];n  grace  !  What  returns  of  praife  and  gratitude  are 
his  due  ?  With  what  joy  ought  I  to  remember  my  Re- 
deem.M-'s  death  at  his  table,  in  the  hope  of  fliaring  with 
him  his  crown  and  his  throne,  in  a  higher  flate  ? 

3.  Vou  ought  to^o  to  God^  in  this  ordinance,  as  your 
excccdhig  joy;  as  you  have  in  it  the  clearefl:  and  fulleft  aflu- 
rance  of  receivingfromhimallthat  is  neceffary  for  your  com- 
fort and  happinefs,  while  you  continue  here.  There  are, 
in  a  llritt  fenfe,  but  two  ends  of  going  to  God  in  his  worfliip 
and  ordinances,  to  exprcfs  our  fenfe  of,  and  thankfulnefs 
for  favors  received,  and  as  beggars  for  more.  Now,  my 
brethren,  in  this  ordinance  you  are  not  only  called  to  ce- 
lebrate the  love  of  a  gracious  and  reconciled  God,  but  to 
trull  in  the  fulnefs  of  an  all-fufficient  God.  That  we 
may  view  this  the  more  dillindtly,  there  are  thefe  two  kinds 
of  bleflings  we  (land  in  need  of,  thofe  that  relate  to  our 
fpiritual  life,  and  thofe  that  relate  to  our  temporal  com- 
fort. 

I  ft,  Thofe  that  relate  to  the  fpiritual  life.  WTiat  is  the 
great  defire  of  every  real  fervant  of  God  in  this  houfe  ?  Is  it 
not  to  have  your  hearts  more  inflamed  with  the  love  of  God, 
and  more  devoted  to  his  fear?  Is  not  fin  your  greatcfl 
burthen,  and  its  remaining  influence  yourgrea^reft  grief? 
Now,  where  can  you  have  a  more  reafonabic  hope  of  get- 
ting your  gracious  difpofitions  ftrengthened,  or  yoin*  fins 
mortified,  than  at  a  communion  table.  Is  it  not  ex-^ 
prefsly  defigned  for  your  fpiritual  nourifhment,  and 
growth  in  grace  ?  And  as  the  inftltution  of  thefe  fenfible 
figns  is  a  remarkable  proof  of  divine  condcfcenfion,  fo  I 
can  hardly  conceive  any  thing  more  wifely  and  happily 
calculated  for  this  excellent  end.  What  can  more  ftrength- 
en  your  faith  in  a  dying  Saviour,  tlian  being  allowed  to 
look  upon  the  figns  of  his  broken  body,  and  his  blood 
poured  out  ?  What  can  Ipeak  greater  peace  to  the  con- 
fcience,  than  your  being  allowed  and  invited  to  receive 
hiiu  explicitly  ?  "  This  is  my  body,  broken  for  you." 
What  can  more  happily  ferve  to  kindle  and  inflame  your 
la\'e  to  God,  than  the  immediate  contemplation  of  his 

Vol.  II.  U 


158  The  Selie'Der  going  to  God 

infinite  love  for  you  ?     Where  can  you  take  fucli  a  hate- 
ful vie\V  of  fin,  as  a  detefted  objed,  as  at  the  Lord's  table, 
where  you  fee  it  in  your  Saviour's  fufierings  ?  Where  and 
how  can  you  lay  fuch  a  bond  upon  the  coafcience,  as  by 
receiving  the  feals  of  this  facred  engagement  ?  How  can 
you  give  fuch  a  deadly  wound  to  your  ftrongeii:  lufls,  as  by 
nailing  and  affixing  them  to  your  Redeemer's  crofs  ?  "What 
motive  of  future  obedience  equal  to  bearing  about  in  your 
bodies-  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jefns  ?    See  what  the  Apof- 
tle  fays,  2  Cor.  v.  14.  '*  For  the  love  of  Chrift  confiraineth 
"  us,  beeaufe  we  thtis  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  theii 
*'  were  all  dead."     Gal.  ii.  20.  "  I   am  crucified  with 
*'  Chrift  :  neverthelefs  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Chrifi  liveth 
*'  in  me  :  a:nd  the  life  which  I  novr  live  'in  the  ficfli,  1  live 
*'  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave 
"  himfelf  for  me."     What  remedy  can  you  find  for  your 
own  weaknefs,  like  the  all-fufficiency  of  Chrift  ?  Col.ii.9. 
*'  For  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulnefs'  of  the  Godhead  bodi- 
"  ly."     I  Cor.  i.  30.  "  Of  him  are  ye  in  Chrift  Jefus, 
"  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wifdom,  and-righteoufnefs, 
"  and  fanftification,   and   redemption."     I  will  not  fo 
widely  handle  the  fubje6l  as  to  cite  to  yoii  all  the  paflages 
which  fliow  that  the  fpirit  of  fan clifi cation  is  a  part  of  the 
purchafe  of  your  Redeemer,  and  one  of  his  gifts  to  thofe 
who  humbly  implore  it.     Is  it  not  well  known,   and  do 
not  believers  at  his  table,  fenfible  of  their  own  weaknefs, 
and  confident  of  their  Saviour's  power,  get  their  feet  upon 
the  necks  of  their  enemies,  and  fay,  "  lean  do  all  things- 
**-  through  Chrift  ftrengthening  me.'' 

2d,  They  have  here  all  things  neceOV.ry  for  tlieir  tem- 
poral comfort.  They  have  a  complele  remedy  for  their 
cares,  as  well  as  their  fins.  As  at  the  Lord's  table  you 
lay  hold  of  the  covenaiit  of  peace,  fo  tliere,  if  any  where^ 
you  may  fee,  that  it  is  ordered  in  all  things,  and  fure ; 
your  food  and  raiment,  and  all  necelfary  provifion,  is  con- 
tained in  it ;  and  Chrift's  body  is  the  pledge.  How  gra- 
cious the  promife  \  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that 
you  have  need  of  thefe  things,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  8,  9, 10.  *'  O 
^*  tafte  and  fee  that  the  Lord  is  good  !  Blcfled  is  the  man 
*'  that  trufteth  in  him.     O  fear  the  Lord,  .ye  his  faints  !• 


as  his  Exceeding  Joy.  1$^ 

♦I  for  there  is  no  want  to  them  that  fear  him.     Tlie  young 
♦'  lions  do  lack,  and  fuffer  hunger ;  but  they  diat  fcek  the 
»'  Lord,  fhall  not  want  any  good  thing."     Ifa.  xxxin.  i6. 
**  He  fhall  dwell  on  high;  his  place  of  defence  lliall  be 
"  the  munitions  of  rocks  ;  bread  fhall  be  given  him,  his 
"  water  fliall  be   fure."     Deliverance  from  luffering  is 
contained  in  it,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  19.  ''  Many  are  the  afflic; 
'*  tions  of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out 
"  of  diem  all."    Strength  and  grace  to  fufler  with  patience 
is   contained  in   it,  Ih,   xliii.    %.   "  When   thou  palTefl 
*'  tlirough  the  waters,  1  will  be  with  thee,  and  through  the 
"  rivers,  they  lliall  not  ovcrHow  thee  ;  when  thou  walkefl 
''  through  th"e  fire,  thou  fhalt  not  be  burnt,  neither  iliall 
''  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."     The  fanftified  ufe  and 
improvement  of  fuflering  is  contained  in  it.  Rom.  viu.  28. 
'^  And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
''  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  accord- 
''  ino-  to  his  purpofe."     2  Cor.  iv.  16.  "  For  which  caufe 
*'  we  faint  not ;  but  though  our  outward  man  perilli,  yet 
*'  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day."     Confider, 
efpecially,  tliat  at  the  Lord's  table  you  have  an  immediate 
view  of  the  great  foundation  of  reliance  on  divine  Provi- 
dence, Rom.  viii.  32.  "  He  that  fpared  not  his  own  Son, 
*'  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  Ihall  he  not  with 
''  him  alfo  freely  give  us  all  things."     That  God,  who  was,, 
fo  laviili  of  his  love,  as  not  to  fpare  even  his  own  Son,  but 
gave  him  up  to  bedefpifed,  buffeted,  and  crucified  foryou^ 
will  not  be  fo  inconfiflently  hard,   as  to  refufe  the  fmall 
gift  in  comparifon  of  a  little  earthly  good.     He  whofe  foul 
was   redeemed  by  tlie  blood  of  Chrilt   fliall  not  lofe  hit 
body  for  a  little  bread.  .       . ,    r       j 

I  cannot  help  obferving,  here,  of  what  univerlal  ule  and 
bcr:elit  the  doarine  of  Chrift  crucified  is,  and  how  high 
a  place  it  ought  to  hold  in  our  cfleem.  It  is  not  only  ufe- 
ful  for  alluring  us  of  the  pardon  of  fin,  but  makes  us  fupe- 
rior  to  all  thofe  fuflerings,  of  every  kind,  which  took  their 
rile  from  fin.  The  path  of  a  Chrillian  is  fometimes  thorny 
and  difficult ;  and  many  of  the  weaker  order  of  faints  have 
even  a  greater  fenfibilitv  of  the  inconveniencie.s  of  life  than, 
fpnie  thoughtlefs  finners.     Thefe  lafl  maintain  a  fort  of 


i6o  The  Bdie'Der  going  to  God 

budle  and  contefl:  for  worldly  pleafure,  and,  with  a  flurdy 
ielf-fufliciency,  can,  if  I  may  fpsak  fo,  return  the  bTovvs 
and  buffets  of  adverfe  fortune,  while  the  feeble  of  Chrill's 
flock  become  funk  and  heartlefs  under  a  frowning  Provi- 
dence. But  is  not  the  Lord's  table  a  place  of  refuge  ?  and 
is  it  not  matter  of  experience,  that  they  have  found  confo- 
lation  there  ?  Whatever  their  complaints  have  been, 
whether  of  ficknefs,  or  poverty,  orlofs  of  relations,  or  die 
llanders  of  their  enemies,  they  have  adored  the  fovereigu 
will  of  God  in  them  all ;  they  have  been  brought  to  a  pla- 
cid fubmiffion  to  his  providence  in  them  all ;  nay,  they 
have  happily  feen  and  confelTed  his  wife  and  merciful 
purpofe  in  them  all.  It  was  not  without  a  view  to  his 
trials,  that  the  Pfalmifl,  in  the  text,  defires  to  go  unto  the 
altar  of  God ^  unto  God  his  exceeding  joy.  And  you  mi.y 
fee  how  he  exprefles  himfelf  in  the  following  verfe,  "  Why 
"  art  thou  call  down,  O  my  foul !  and  v/hy  art  thou  dif- 
"  quieted  within  me  !  hope  in  God  ;  for  I  fliall  praife 
*'  him,  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my 
"  God  !" 

4th,  I  come,  now,  in  the  lafl  place,  to  obferve,  that  this 
ordinance  is  a  fource  of  joy,  as  it  is  a  pledge  and  earned 
of  heaven  ;  a  foretafle  of  that  eternal  happinefs  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  his  faithful  fervants  in  the  world  to 
come.  This,  my  brethren,  ought  never  to  be  out  of  our 
view  while  we  fojourn  in  this  valley  of  tears. 

This  eternal  joy  is  what  our  Redeemer  has  given  us  the 
fullell  aflurance  of.  It  is  he  who  hath  drawn  afide  the  cur- 
tain, and  opened  to  us  a  joyful  profpect  into  the  holy  of 
holies,  into  the  blelfed  manfions  of  perfe61ion,  purity,  and 
happinefs  within  the  vail.  In  one  of  his  lai'l  difcourfes  to 
his  difciples,  when  he  was  about  to  leave  them,  he  tells 
them,  it  was  to  be  but  a  iliort  feparation  ;  for  that  he 
would  come  again,  and  carry  them  with  him  ;  and  that 
they  fliould  never  more  be  divided,  Jolin  xiv.  2.  "In  my 
*'  father's  houfe  are  many  manfions;  if  it  were  •  not  fo,  I 
*'  would  have  told  you  :  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  ;" 
and  not  only  hath  he  left  the  promife  of  his  return,  but 
hath  inftituted  this  ordinance,  on  the  one  hand,  to  keep  up 
the  memory  of  his  former  appearance  ;  and,  on  the  other, 


as  bis  Exceeding  Joy.  1 6  r 

to  keep  up  our  hopes  of  his  fecond  coming,  and  what  he 
will  then  be  flow,  i  Cor.  xi.  23.  "  As  often  as  ye  eat  this 
''  bread,  and  drink  tliis  cup,  ye  do  fliew  tlie  Lord's  death 
"  till  he  come."  It  is  intend-jd  to  fupport  the  languifli- 
ing  faith  ot  his  people,  and  make  them  tread,  with  conftan- 
cy,  in  his  Itrength,  the  fame  paths  of  virtue  and  fclf-denial 
tiiat  he  did,  in  hopes  of  fhortly  lliaring  his  crown  and  re- 
ward, Heb.  xii.  I,  2.  " And  let  us  run  with  patience 

"  the  race  that  is  let  before  us  ;  looking  unto  Jcfiis,  the 
"  author  and  finilher  of  our  faith  ;  who,  for  the  joy  that 
"  was  fet  before  him,  endured  the  crofs,  dcfpifmg  the 
"  ihame,  and  is  fet  down  at  the  right  hand  of  die  throne  of 
"  God."  And  how  highly  proper  is  this  inliitution  for 
pointing  us  to  the  glorious  iiTue  of  our  Chrillian  conflict  ? 
in  it,  we  have,  at  once,  a  proof  of  the  certainty — of  the 
excellence, — and  even  fome  perception  of  the  nature  of 
heavenly  glory. 

How  certain  and  infallible  is  that  happinefs  to  the  faints, 
which  our  exalted  Redeemer,  the  Amen  and  faithful  Wit- 
ness^ hath  pafied  his  word  for,  and  gone  before,  in  our 
name,  to  take  p6ffeifion  of?  Heb,  vi.  19,20.  "Which 
"  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  foul,  both  fure  and 
*'  lledfafl:,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vail, 
"  whither  the  forerunner  is  for  U5  entered." — i  Cor.  xv.  23. 
^'  But  every  man  in  his  own  order,  Chrift,  the  firft  fruits, 
*'  afterward  they  that  are  Chrift's,  at  his  coming."  How- 
ever high  an  hope  it  may  feem  foi-  fuch  as  we  are,  to  afpire 
to  a  ilation  fo  near  the  throne  of  God,  to  his  prefence  and 
fellowfliip ;  yet  it  is  not  too  much,  after  what  is  already 
bellowed  upon  us  ;  after  what  Chrilt  hath  done,  it  can  be- 
get no  furprife,  that  this  lliould  be  the  conclufion  of  it ; 
after  he  hath  borne  our  fins  in  his  own  body,  and  with  his 
own  blood  waflied  away  our  guilt ;  after  he  hath  liindified 
and  cleanfed  us  by  his  holy  Spirit,  made  us  the  children, 
and  imprinted  the  image  of  his  Father  upon  cur  hearts ; 
after  he  hath  kindled  in  our  fouls  a  flame  of  divine  love, 
and  made  us  content  with  nothing  but  himfelf,  and  with 
no  place  where  he  is  not ;  furely  he  v/ill  not  leave  us  com- 
fortlefs  ;  he  can  have  no  other  defign  than  to  carry  us  to 
live  with  him,  and  reign  with  him  for  ever  and  ever. 


1 63  The  Believer  going  to  God 

Does  not  this  reprefentation  alfo  ferve  to  fhow  the  ex- 
cellency of  the  heavenly  glory  ?  It  is  called  in  fcripture^ 
'-'•  the  purchafed  poffeffion."  And,  oh !  my  dear  bre- 
thren,  how  great,  beyond  expreflion,  nmft  that  inheri- 
tance be,  -which  was  fo  dearly  bought,  for  which  every 
price,  but  the  blood  of  the  eternal  Son  of  God  was  rejefl- 
ed !  See  his  body  broken,  and  his  blood  llied ;  and  there 
fee  what  heaven  has  coft ;  and  this  it  coil  to  him,  who 
had  dwelt  there  from  eternity,  and  could  not  be  deceiv- 
ed in  its  worth.  It  was  no  unnecefTary  expence,  idly 
thrown  away,  but  what  alone  was  equal  to  the  glorious 
purchafe.  Had  v/e  nothing  elfe,  by  which  to  guefs  at 
that,  which  eye  hath  not  feen,  this,  of  itfelf,  ought  to  be 
fufficient  to  raife  our  hopes  to  the  highell  pitch,  and  give 
US  the  moll  exalted  conceptions  of  its  infinite  glory. 

And  may  I  not  add,  upon  this  head,  my  brethren,  that 
this  ordinance  is,  to  many,  an  earneH:  and  foretafte,  as 
well  as  an  aflurance,  of  the  happinefs  of  heaven.  Is  it 
not  the  fenfible  communion  with  God,  which  fome  of  his 
faints  even  here  enjoy,  a  refemblance,  though  faint,  of 
that  full  and  perfeft  communion  which  they  Ihall  enjoy 
with  their  Creator  and  Redeemer  in  the  world  above  I 
John  xiv.  23.  '* — If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my 
*•'-  words,  and  my  Father  will  love  him  ;  and  we  will  come 
"  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him.'*  What  is  hear 
ven,  but  to  be  free  from  fin ;  to  contemplate  the  glory  of  an 
infinite  God  ;  to  be  filled  with  a  fenfe  of  his  love  ;  and  to  be 
beyond  the  reach  of  temptation  to  offend  him  any  more. 
Now,  when  the  believer  fees  his  pardon  fealed  with  his  Re- 
deemer's blood ;  when  he  is  filled  with  a  hatred  of  all  fin, 
and  a  humble  confidence  of  being  delivered  from  its  power ; 
when  his  very  complaints  are  put  to  filence,  and  the  frailties 
of  a  dying  body  are  left  behind,  or  fwallowed  up  by  the  hope 
of  a  blefl'ed  refurre£lion  ;  what  is  this,  but, the  very  dawn 
of  heaven  in  the  foul !  what  is  this,  but  the  fhout  of  vic- 
tory !  and  an  earnell  of  that  day  of  complete  triumph, 
when  all  his  enemies  fliall  be  brought  under  his  feet ! 

I  am  fenfible  that  the  frame  of  many  communicants 
will  be  but  a  bad  emblem  of  heaven  ;  and,  if  they  meafure 
it  by  that  llandard,  it  will  give  them  but  low  and  forry  ng. 


iis  his  Exceedifig  Joj.  j^ 

lions  of  it.  This,  however,  is  not  the  cafe  with  all ;  and 
and  there  are  few  real  Clirillians,  but,  in  fome  parts  of 
their  lives,  have  felt  fuch  inward  joy  in  God,  that  they 
have  been  ready  to  fay,  with  the  difciples  on  the  mount 
of  transfiguration,  It  is  good  for  jiS  to  be  here.  Neither 
is  there  any  place  where  it  may  be  more  reafonably  ex- 
pefted  than  at  a  communion  table  :  every  pious  foul 
Ihould  breathe  out  this  prayer  of  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  Ixiii. 
I,  2,  3,  4.  "  O  God!  thou  art  my  God!  early  will  I 
'*  feek  thee  :  iny  foul  thirfteth  for  thee  !  my  fleih  longcth 
"  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thitfly  land,  where  no  water  is  :  to 
"  fee  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  fo  as  I  hiive  feen  thee  in  the 
"  fanftuary ;  becaufe  thy  loving-kindnefs  is  better  than 
*'  life,  my  lips  fliall  praife  thee.  Thus  will  I  blefs  thee, 
"  while  I  live  !  I  will  lift  up  my  hands  in  thy  name  !" 

And  now,  rhy  brethren,  what  reafon  is  there  for  eveiy 
fmcere  communicant  to  go  to  God  in  this  ordinance,  as 
their  exceeding  joy.  It  points  us  forward  to  that  bleffcd 
time  when  we  ihall  indeed  be  fatisfied  With  that  fulnefs  of 
joy,  and  the?fe  rivers  of  pleafures  that  are  at  his  right  hand* 
We  are  glad  now^  indeed,  to  help  our  flagging  conceptions 
with  fymbols  and  figures  :  But  then  fhall  our  eyes  fee  the 
glorious  Saviour  Handing  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  fu)--- 
rounded  by  ten  thoufand  of  his  faints,  who  have  been  re- 
deemed by  his  blood.  This  life  is  but  a  fcene  of  mifery 
and  forrow,  where  wretchednefs  is  of:en  to  be  fcen,  anil 
iRmentations  heard,  even  in  the  dwellings  of  the  righteous  ; 
But  then  all  tears  Ihall  be  wiped  away  fi  om  their  eyes^ 
and  thefe  fongs  of  praife  begin  which  lliall  never  end. 
Now  we  are  borne  down  with  prevailing  corruption, 
which,  as  a  dead  weight,  depreffes  our  fpirits :  But  thcit 
ihall  we  be  perfectly  freed  I'rom  all  impurity,  and  lervc 
our  God  and  Redeemer  with  the  fame  fpirit  and  joy  as 
the  angels  do  in  heaven.  Now  wc  are  but  as  young  un- 
fledged birds,  which  in  learning  to  fly  can  but  flutter  a 
little,  and  immediately  take  refuge  intheeartii:  But  we  ihail 
foon  foar  above  it,  riling  with  unwearied  wings  and  never 
failing  ftrength* 

Let  us  forget  for  a  little  the  weaknefs  of  mortality,  and 
cwr>'  our  thoughts  to  the  general  aflembly  of  the  church  M 


164  -    The  lie iie'uer going  to  God 

the  firftborn,  where  no  furpiclon  of  our  falfe  heart  being 
admitted  ihall  remain,  when  all  the  wide  congregation 
iliall  join  in  celebrating  the  praiies  of  Almiphty  God,  and 
of  the  Lamb  ;  and  there  fliall  not  be  one  jarring  or  one 
dlfcoidant  note  in  the  univerfal  harmony.  Thus  I  have 
laid  beiore  you  what  a  foui  ce  of  joy  there  is  to  the  believ- 
f"r,  in  the  holy  ordinance  which  )^ou  now  have  accefs  to 
pa;  "ake  of,  and  proceed,  in  the 

Lall  place,  to  make  fome  pradlical  improvement  of  the 
fubjedt.     And, 

1.  May  I  not,  in  a  few  words,  obfervehow  great  is  the 
gcodnefs  ot  God,  in  providing  fo  rich  an  entertainment 
for  L;S  in  our  prefent  ftate.  This  life  has  been  exprefsiy 
defigned,  in  Providence,  as  a  fcene  oF  diflaculties  and  tri- 
als. We  are  here  in  exile  from  our  Ft.ther's  houfe  ;  yet 
doth  he  not  leave  us  altogether  defolate,  but  hath  given  us 
this  as  a  token  and  pledge  of  his  love,  before  the  full  mani- 
feflation  of  it.  Here  is  food  to  give  us  vigor  for  our 
journey,  in  this  valley  of  tears :  Strength  to  embolden 
us  againft  our  enemies,  that  we  may  hold  on  our  courfe 
fteadily,  without  wearying.  Will  it  be  matter  of  eternal 
furprife,  that  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  fliould  do  ho- 
nor to  our  world,  by  taking  up  his  abode  in  it,  and  digni- 
fy human  nature  by  wearing  it  himfelf,  and  uniting  it  to 
his  ov;  n  ?  Is  it  not  a  continued  proof  of  the  fame  conde- 
fcenfion,  as  well  as  an  evidence  of  divine  wifdom,  that  he 
ftould  leave  to  everj^  age  this  landing  memorial  of  him- 
kli,  his  appearance,  and  work,  that  fenfe  itfelf  might  be 
partner  with  rakh,  in  rejoicing  over  his  goodnefs  ?  If  his 
hearers  were  blelfed  with  his  heavenly  voice,  and  wonder- 
ed at  the  gracious  v/ords  that  proceecled  out  of  his  mouth, 
during  his  perional  miniiiry,  let  us  with  admiration  and 
joy,  look  U])on  the  jymbols  of  his  fufierings  and  death  :  let 
u;>  lurvey  the  jjicture  of  his  agony  drawn  by  himfelf,  and 
let  us  remember  v/hat  it  promifes,  and  what  he  is  now 
gone  to  prepare  for  his  faithful  followers. 

2.  J  .ct  lis,  by  way  of  improvement,  confider  a  little 
'ibr  Wiioui  this  joy  is  provided;  does  not  this  need  expli- 
cation ?     And  are  not  many  of  you   faying  within  your- 
fek  es,  furely  obilinacy   itfelf  cannot  deny,  .that  here  is 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  Received.  17  j 

mift,  Pfal.  xxiii.  5.  *'  Thou  prepared  a  table  before  me 
"  in  the  prefsnce  of  mine  enemies :  thou  anointcfl:  my 
"  head  with  oil,  my  cup  runneth  over."— If  any  have 
been  burdened  with  a  fenfe  of  guilt,  the  arrows  of  the 
Lord  within  them,  and  the  poifon  thereof  drinking  up 
tlieir  fouls,  and  God  hath  revealed  himfelf  to  them,  as  par- 
doning iniquity,  tranfgreflion,  and  fm  ;  if  they  have  been 
enabled  to  lay  hold,  with  clearnefs  and  confidence,  of  the 
great  atonement,  they  have  furely  tafted  of  his  love  :  Or, 
if  a  fpirit  of  bondage  and  llavifli  fear  has  given  a  forbid- 
ding afpe6l  to  the  padis  of  piety,  or  hath  brought  a  gloom 
and  darknefs  upon  the  paths  of  providence,  and  it  hath 
pleafed  God  to  fpeak  peace  to  their  fouls,  by  the  Spirit  of 
confolation,  they  will  lay  with  the  Pfalmifl,  Pfal.  ciii.  i. 
*'  Blefs  the  Lord,  O  my  foul,  and  all  that  is  within  me, 
*'  blefs  his  holy  name." Or,  finally,  if  any  hath  com- 
plained of  a  dead,  flothful,  fecure  frame,  refting  too  eafily 
in  the  form,  and  minding  little  of  the  power  of  godlinefs, 
and  it  hath  pleafed  God  to  touch  their  hearts  and  lips  with 
a  live-coal  from  off  his  altar  ;  to  command  their  attention 
by  his  v/ord ;  to  excite  their  affections  in  his  worfliip,  and 
to  give  a  new  flrain  of  Watchfulnefs  and  tendernefs  to 
the  whole  of  their  converiation  :  they  have  furely  the 
greateft  reafon  to  fay,  "  Return  unto  thy  reft,  O  my  foul, 
"  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee." 

2.  The  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  you,  if  you 
can  obferve  a  particular  mark  and  fignature  of  his  provi- 
dence in  your  mercies.  It  is  one  thing  to  receive  the 
bounty  of  providence,  and  another  to  difcern  and  confefs 
the  hand  that  bellows  it.  Even  with  regard  to  the  bleff- 
ings  that  are,  in  a  great  meafure,  common  to  every  thing 
that  lives,  it  is  a  matter  of  the  highell:  moment,  and  of 
greit  influence  in  religion,  to  have  a  deep  and  ferious  con- 
viiflion  from  whom  they  flow,  to  be  fenfible  of  the  abfo- 
lute  and  conftant  dependance  of  evciy  creature  upon  God. 
It  places  us  immediately  in  our  Maker's  prefence  ;  for, 
as  the  apoftle  Paul  fays,  Adls  xvii.  27.  " — Ke  is  not  far 
"  from  every  one  of  us.  For  in  him  wc  live,  and  move, 
"  and  have  our  being." 

Vol.  n.  Y 


174  72*^  Christian'' s  Disposition  under 

But  though  this  is  not  to  be  neglected,  I  have  fome- 
thing  farther  in  view,  viz.  When  we  can  obferve  the  par^ 
ticular  fteps  of  providence,  as  well  as  the  gracious  inten- 
tion of  it,  as  the  fruit  of  fpecial  and  diftinguifliing  love» 
The  footfteps  of  Providence  are  to  be  feen  often  in  tlie 
means, — in  the  feafon, — and  in  the  nature  of  the  mercy. 

i\k.  When  the  means  by  which  any  mei  cy  is  brought 
about  ai"e  extraordinary,  and  far  beyond  the  reach  of  hu- 
man wifdom,  it  ferves  to  Ihow  that  God  himfelf  hath  been 
their  help*  Sometimes  the  children  of  God  are  left  to 
prove  the  weaknefs  of  all  created  help,  and  to  be  urged  in 
a  manner  to  the  brink  of  defpair,  that  their  deliverance 
may  be  the  more  fignal,  and  may  the  more  evidently 
point  out  the  very  finger  of  God^  What  a  mercy  is  it, 
when  the  enemies  of  good  men  wait  for  their  halting,  and 
hope  to  overcome  them,  and  yet  they  are  remarkably  de- 
livered, and  out  of  weaknefs  are  made  ftrong  ?  See  hov/ 
the  Pfalmifi:  pfays,  Pfal.  Ixxxvi.  i6, 17.  "  O  turn  unto 
*'  me,  and  have  mercy  upon  me.  Give  thy  flrength  unto 
*'  thy  fervant,  andfave  the  fon  of  thine  handmaid.  Shew 
*'  me  a  token  for  good,  that  they  which  hate  me  may  fee 
*'  it,  and  be  afhamed ;  becaufe  thou,  Lord,  hail  holpen  me, 
*'  and  comforted  me." 

2dly,  Sometimes  the  providence  of  God  is  feen  in  the 
feafon  of  the  mercy.  It  is  beftowed  when  it  is  moil  need- 
ed, or  when  it  may  be  of  greateil  ufe^  V/hen  the  faith  of 
his  people  Is  beginning  to  fail,  it  frequently  meets  Vv^ith 
miexpeded  and  eminent  fupport.  Pfal.  Ixxiii.  2»  "  But  as 
"  for  me,  my  feet  were  almoft  gone :  my  Heps  had  well 
*'  nigh  flipt.*'  V.  10.  "  Therefore  his  people  return  hi- 
*'  ther  :  and  waters  of  a  full  cup  are  wrung  out  to  them." 
PiaL  xciv.  16,  17,  18,  19.  "  Who  will  rife  up  for  me 
*'  againft  the  evil  doers  ?  or  who  will  iland  up  for  me 
"  againil  the  workers  of  iniquity  ?  Unlefs  the  Lord  had 
*'  been  my  help,  my  foul  had  almoft  dwelt  in  filence^ 
**  When  I  faid,  my  foot  flippeth ;  thy  mercy,  O  Lord, 
*•  held  me  up.  In  the  multitude  of  my  thoughts  within 
*'  me,  thy  comforts  delight  my  ibul.*'  When  they  have 
duties  of  importance  before  them,  they  have  fometimeS 
fuch  lupplies  of  grace  and  flrength  given  them,  as  to  car^ 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  received.  1^5 

ry  them  through  with  comfort  and  with  credit.  Some- 
times, to  prepare  them  for  trials  which  may  be  before 
them,  they  have  uncommon  meafurcs  of  confolationfrom 
above  ;  and  fometimes  under  or  after  trials,  for  their  fup- 
port  and  comfort,  they  meet  with  all  in  the  Creator,  and 
much  m;)re  than  they  loft  in  the  creature^  And  I  hope, 
my  brethren,  many  have  caufe  to  adore  the  wifdom,  as 
well  as  the  grace  of  God  in  public  ordinances,  that  direds 
his  miniflers,  as  well  as  his  Spirit,  to  fuch  inftru6\ions  as 
may  be  mod  fuitable,  both  to  the  wants  and  the  defires  of 
his  faints.  How  excellent  is  found  inllruclHiion,  at  any 
rate !  But  wiiat  a  new  beauty  and  excellency  does  it  ac* 
quire,  in  the  eyes  of  that  perfon,  to  whole  inw^ard  com- 
plaints it  is  diredlly  fuited  ?  We  may  fay  of  it  as  Solo- 
mon fays,  Prov.  xv.  23.  "  A  man  hath  joy  by  the  anfvver 
"  of  his  moiitli ;  and  a  word  fpoken  in  due  feafon,  how 
"  good  is  it  r" — XXV.  II.  "A  word  fitly  fpoken  is  like 
"  apples  of  gold  in  pidlures  of  fdver."  Ifa.  I.  4,  "  The 
"  Lord  God  hath  given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  that 
"  I  ihould  know  how  to  fpeak  a  word  in  feafon  tohim  that" 
*'  is  weary." 

3dly,  Once  more  :  The  fignature  of  Providence  is 
fometimes  feen  in  the  nature  of  the  mercy,  when  it  is  ex- 
adly  fuited  to  the  Hate  and  character  of  the  perfon  con- 
cerned. Our  temper,  ftation,  duties,  have  in  them  a  very 
great  diverfity  j  and  there  is  frequently  an  opportunity  to 
obferve  how  God  difpenfes  his  gifts  with  wifdom  and  pro- 
priety. If  he  gives  to  the  rich,  humility,  thankfulnefs,  or 
liberality  ;  to  the  poor,  patience,  truft,  and  refignation  i 
If  he  keeps  the  weak  from  temptation  and  trial  ;  and  filla 
with  fortitude  thofe  who  are  to  meet  with  refiftance  ;  and, 
in  general,  accommodates  his  mercies  to  their  apparent 
neceflity,  can  it  be  denied,  that  he  deals  bountifully  with 
them.  We  are  taught  this  truth  in  a  very  tender  paflage, 
Pfal.  ciii.  13,  14.  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children, 
'"'-  fo  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him  ;  for  he  knowedi 
"  our  frame  ;  he  remembereth  that  we  are  duft.'*  In  ma- 
ny inflances,  indeed,  this  kindnefs  and  condefcenfion  is 
to  be  obferved  both  in  the  nature  of  mercies,  and  in  the 
meafure  of  afflidlions,  Ifa.  xxvii.  8.  "  In  meafure,  when  it 
*-^  ftiQotcth  forth,  thou  wilt  debate  with  it;  he  llayeth  his 


176  The  Christian's  Disposition  under 

"  rough  wind  in  the  day  of  \ht  call  wind."    This  leads  mc 
to  obferve, 

3.  That  the  Lord  deals  bountifully  with  his  people, 
when  he  gives  them  a  clear  and  fatisfying  view  of  the  fa- 
lutary  end,  and  enables  them  to  make  a  fandlified  ufe 
both  of  their  trials  and  mercies.  I  need  not  tell  you,  that 
calamities  of  various  kinds  are  infeparable  from  this 
Hate  of  mortality  and  of  lin  ;  neither  need  I  tell  you  that 
the  children  of  God  never  were,  nor  ever  fhall  be  exempt- 
ed from  their  fhare.  But,  as  their  mercies  have  a  quite 
different  nature  and  influence,  from  thofe  which  are  be- 
ilowed  upon  a  carelefs,  fecure  world  ;  fo  their  trials  have  a 
peculiar  direction,  and  are  capable  of  a  fpiritual  improve- 
ment :  nay,  they  are  reprefented  in  fcripture,  as  the  fruit 
and  evidence  of  love,  Heb.  xii.  5.  "  And  yt  haveforgot- 
*'  ten  the  exhortation  which  fpeaketh  unto  you  as  unto 
'*'  children,  My  fon,  def^iife  not  thou  the  chaftening  of  the 
*'  Lord,  nor  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him."  Pfal. 
Ixxxix.  30,  31,  32,  33.  "  If  his  children  forfake  my  law, 
"  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments  ;  if  they  break  my  fla- 
*'  tutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments,  then  will  I 
*'  vifit  their  tranfgreflion  with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity 
*'  with  flripes  :  neverthelefs,  my  loving-kindnefs  will  I 
"  not  utterly  take  from  him,  nor  fuffer  my  faithful nefs  to 
"  fail.*' 

Now,  my  brethren,  fometimes  the  children  of  God  may 
ilrugglefor  a  feafon  under  affliftions,  and  find  much  diffi- 
culty to  adhere  lledfaflly  to  their  duty :  nay,  what  do  I 
fay  ?  truly  they  may  fin  not  a  little  by  impatience  in  their 
hearts,  and  fpeaking  unadvifedly  with  their  lips,  as  well 
as  by  finking  under  the  ftroke,  and  manifefling  unbelief 
and  difiirufi:  in  the  rock  of  their  falvation.  They  may  be 
alfo  greatly  at  a  lofs  to  interpret  the  language  of  Provi- 
dence, and  difcover  the  caufe  of  God's  controverfy  with 
them.  They  may  fay,  with  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  Ixxvii.  6, 
< — 9.  "  I  call  to  remembrance  my  fong  in  the  night ;  1 
*'  commune  with  mine  own  heart,  and  my  fpirit  made  di- 
"  ligent  fearch.  "Will  the  Lord  cafl  off  forever  ?  and  will 
"  he  be  favorable  no  more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  for- 
*'  ever  ?  Doth  his  promife  fail  for  evermore  .''  Hath 
*'  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ?  hath  he  in  anger  Ihut  up 


M  Sense  of  Mercies  received.  tyy 

'■*■  his  tender  mercies  ?  Selali."  Or,  with  Job,  Job  x.  i, 
— 3.  "  My  foul  is  weary  of  my  life  ;  I  will  leave  my 
"  complaint  upon  myfelf ;  I  will  fpeak  in  the  bitternefs 
*'  of  my  foul.  I  will  fay  unto  God,  do  not  condemn  me  ; 
••*  fliew  me  wherefore  thou  contended:  with  me.  Is  it 
"  ^ood  unto  thee,  that  thou  fhouldeft:  opprefs  ?  that  thou 
"•  lliouldcll  defpife  the  work  of  tliine  hands,  and  fliine  upon 
"  the  counfel  of  tlie  wicked  ?" 

But  what  a  mercy  is  it,  when  it  pleafcth  God  to  recon- 
cile our  minds  to  the  will  of  his  providence  ;  to  fet  home 
upon  the  confcience  his  right  of  fovereignty  ;  his  title  to 
difpofe  of  ourperfons,  ourrepLitation,ourfubllance,our  rela- 
tions, without  exception,  and  without  condition,  even  as  he 
will.  O  how  happy  !  to  be  able  to  fay,  with  our  fuHering 
Saviour,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  poHible,  let  this  cup  pafs 
"  from  me  !  neverthelefs,  not  as  I  will,  but  ac  thou  wilt. 
*'  And,  again,  if  this  cup  may  not  pafs  away  from  me, 
''  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done."  Is  this  unreafon- 
able  ?  Nothing  lefs.  Should  he  not  do  what  he  will  with 
his  own  ?  Is  it  impoffible  ?  Blelfed  be  God,  it  is  far  from 
it.  How  happy,  my  brethren,  to  have  our  corruptions 
mortified  by  fuffering !  to  have  the  fpirit  broken  by  con- 
trition and  penitence,  when  the  body  is  broken  by  fick- 
nefs  or  diflrefs ;  to  weaken  our  attachment  to  the  world, 
when  it  is  fhowing  its  inflability  and  uncertainty  as  our 
polfeffion  ;  to  hate  the  fin  for  which,  and  not  the  God  by 
whom  the  ftroke  is  inflided,  let  it  be  of  what  nature  foever 
it  will  ?  O  how  happy  to  have  divine  confolation  under 
fuffering  !  an  angel  from  heaven  llrengthening  us  !  the 
foul  following  hard  after  God  !  when  the  believer  is  ena- 
bled to  delight  himfelf  in  God,  even  in  the  abfence  of  all 
outward  comfort  !  and  to  fay  with  Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  •'  Al- 
"  though  the  fig-tree  fhall  not  blofTom,  neither  Ihall  fruit  be 
"  in  the  vines  ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  fhall  fail,  and  the 
"  fields  fliall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  fliall  be  cut  oflf 
"  from  the  fold,  and  there  fliall  be  no  herd  in  the  ilalls  ; 
"  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of 
my  falvation  !"  O  how  happy  is  it,  when  we  experience 
the  fandifying  effedls  of  fuffering,  to  be  able  to  look  back 
upon  it,  and  find  tlie  bitternefs  and  feverity  over,  or  miti- 


i;^S  l:he  Christian's  Disposition  under 

g^ted  by  time,  but  the  fruits  of  it  remaining,  and  daily  ga^ 
thering  ftrength !  One  affliclion,  truly  fandified,  pre-. 
pares  the  mind  for  others  to  follow,  and  makes  them  both 
more  tolerable,  and  more  ufeful.  He  who  has  fought,  and, 
f^und  confolation  in  God,  under  one  afflidion,  is  refrefli-. 
ed,  braced,  and  armed  for  another  combat  ;  he  is  not  fo 
jTEivieh  afraid  of  new  and  unknown  enemies,  becaufe  he 
knows  where  to  find  fure  and  effedual  fupport.  There  is, 
ifemething  very  noble  and  animated  in  that  part  of  the 
apoftle  Paul's  difcourfe  to  the  elders  of  Ephefus,  which, 
lelates  to  his  fufferings  for  the  gofpel,  Adsxx.  22,23,  24*' 
'^'  And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in  the  fpirit  unto  Jerufa- 
^^  lem,  not  knowing  the  tilings  that  flmll  befal  me  there  i 
^^  fa.ve,  that  the  Holy  Ghoft  witnefleth  in  every  city,  fay- 
'^^  ing,  that  bonds  and  affliclions  abide  me.  But  none  of 
'^^  thefe  things  move  me  ;  neither  count  I  my  life  dear 
^^  unto  myfelf,  fo  that  I  might  finifli  my  courfe  with  joy, 
^•^  9,nd  the  miniflry  which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Je- 
^'^  fus,  to  teftify  the  gofpel  of  the  grace  of  God."  I  cannot 
gQ  through  either  every  kind  of  fuffering,  or  every  kind  of 
benefit  we  may  receive  from  it ;  but  we  have  the  pleafure 
^  feeing  the  fcripture  faints,  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
Teftament,  bearing  v/itnefs  to  the  falutary  confequence  of 
affiiclion.  Thus  David  fays,  Pfal.  cxix..  67.  "  Before  \ 
^'-  was  afiiidted,  I  went  afi:ray  ;  but  now  have  I  kept  thy 
'^*  word  :"  and  ver.  71.  "It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have 
^^  been  afflifted,  that  I  might  learn  thy  fiatutes,**  And 
the  apofile  Paul,  Rom.  v.  3.  "  And  not  only  fo,  but  we 
^'-  glory  in  tribulation  alfo,  knowing  that  tribulation  workr 
^'^  eth  patience."  And  fo  certain  is  this  truth,  that,  I  am 
perfuaded,  there  is  no  ferious  exercifed  perfon  among  us, 
but  is  willing  to  ftrengthen  the  evidence  by  his  own,  tefti- 

VXQXiJ.. 

I  may  add,  that  tiie  Lord  deals  very  bountifully  with 
thofe  to  whom  he  gives  the  fanftified  ufe  of  their  mercies  i 
when  in  general  mercies  have  not  led  to  fecurity  or  pride, 
but  to  thankfulnefs,  and  even  to  a  holy  concern  to  im- 
prove them  to  the  glory  of  God ;  when  great  abundance 
ef  outward  poiTeflions  has  not  led  to  fenfuality,  or  profa-. 
i^ty,  or  hardnefs  qf  heart  i  but^  qu  the  contrary,,  to.  hu* 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  rccehed.  l^ 

mility,  lifefulnefs,  liberality  ;  when  a  numerous  or  grow- 
ing family,  children  fpringing  up  as  olive  plants  rouml 
about  the  table,  only  fill  the  parents  with  a  tender  con- 
cern to  train  them  up  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  feafon  their 
young  hearts  with  early  imprcflions  of  religion  ;  whei^^ 
inilead  of  a  foolifh  jealoufy  or  ambition  to  have  your  cliil- 
dren  more  fumptuoufly  drefl'ed  than  others,  your  great 
care  is  to  have  them  kept  from  the  focicty  of  the  vitiouS^ 
and  to  have  them  no  way  behind  the  very  bell  acconi- 
pliflied  in  every  branch  of  ufeful  knowledge  ;  when  }'ou 
are  favored  with  the  elleem  and  affedlion  of  others,  and 
God  enables  you  to  improve  your  influence  by  zeal  and 
diligence  in  doing  good. 

Thefe  are  all  fan(5lified  mercies ;  and,  as  the  Lord  deal^ 
bountifully  with  thofe  on  whom  they  are  bellowed  ironi 
time  to  time ;  fo,  in  a£ls  of  folemn  worfliip,  it  is  an  urt^ 
fpeakable  hap  pine  fs,  when  fuch  views  are  taken  of  our 
flate  and  fituation,  and  of  the  afpeft  of  providence  towaids 
us,  as  ferve  to  confirm  and  ftrengthen  every  holy  difpc^ 
fition,  and  lead  us  in  the  paths  of  truth  and  righteouf- 
nefs.     In  the 

4th,  And  laft  place.  The  Lord  hath  dealt  boimtifully 
with  thofe  whom  he  hath  admitted  to  the  moft  intimate 
and  fpiritual  communion  with  himfelf ;  thofe  whom  ht 
hath  carried  above  the  fphere  of  temptation,  filled  them 
with  fenfible  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghoft  here,  and  earned  de- 
fires  after  the  complete  and  perpetual  enjoyment  of  his 
prefence  in  heaven.  My  brethren,  it  is  no  contemptibl^e 
communion  with  God,  wlien  the  foul  is  poured  out  in 
penitential  forrovv,  filled  with  hatred  of  fin,  with  a  love 
of  God's  -laws,  or  fubmifiion  to  his  providence  ;  when  the 
Spirit  fliines  with  clearnefs  either  on  commands  or  pm- 
mifes,  and  makes  the  heart  approve  and  rell  in  ihem  \ 
but  there  are  alfo  fpecial  happy  feafons,  when  the  believer 
may  be  faid  to  leave  his  mercies,  trials,  fins,  and  duties, 
altogether  at  adillancc,  and  to  rejoice  in  the  contemplation 
of  an  infinite  God.  He  is  the  proper  objeft  of  the  higli- 
ert:  efteem,  and  mod  ardent  love  of  every  reafonable  crea- 
ture ;  he  is  the  immediate  objedl  of  delight  and  wonder  to 
the  ccleftial  hofts ;  and  fometimes  he  vouchfafes  forne  d# 


i8o  The  Christian's  Disposition  under 

gree  of  the  like  exalted  joy  even  to  the  faints  on  earth.  It 
feems  to  have  been  the  defire  of  Mofes,  when  he  fays, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  i8.  "  — J  bcfeech  thee  fhew  me  thy  glory." 
And  the  fame  feems  to  have  been  the  happy  attainment 
of  the  difciples  on  the  mount  of  transfiguration  ;  of  which 
fee  the  account,  Matth.  xvii.  i, — 4.  "•  And  after  fix  days, 
*'  Jefus  taketh  Peter,  James,  and  John  his  brother,  and 
*'  bringeth  them  up  into  an  high  mountain  apart,  and 
*'  was  transfigured  before  them,  and  his  face  did  fhine  as 
*'  the  fun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light;  and, 
"  behold,  there  appeared  unto  them  Mofes  and  Elias  talk- 
**  ing  with  him.  Then  anfwered  Peter,  and  faid  unto  Je- 
"  fus,  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here :  if  thou  wilt, 
"  let  us  make  here  three  tabernacles ;  one  for  thee,  and 
*'  one  for  Mofes,  and  one  for  Elias."  The  luflre  of  their 
Mailer's  appearance,  and  what  they  heard  of  his  inter- 
courfe  with  the  two  inhabitants  of  heaven,  feems  to  have 
made  them  quite  forget  that  they  had  any  thing  to  do  on 
earth ;  or,  at  leaft,  made  them  very  unwilling  to  return 
to  their  former  fl:ate. 

How  fhall  I  explain  this,  or  bring  it  down  to  the  con- 
ception of  worldly  men  ?  Perhaps  it  is  wrong  to  attempt 
it ;  but,  lefl:  any  fhould  go  away,  fpeaking  with  contempt 
or  indignation  of  communion  with  God,  as  extravagance, 
enthufiafm,  and  folly,  I  Ihall  take  leave  to  fupport  it  by 
the  following  illuftration.  Suppofe  any  of  you  were,  as 
perhaps  you  have  been,  admitted  to  the  fight  of  fome  ex- 
ceeding ftrange  and  wonderful  appearance  in  nature  or 
art ;  will  not  this  fometimes  fill  you  with  inexpreflible 
furprife  and  delight  ?  will  it  not,  for  a  time,  quite  fufpend 
your  attention  to  any  thing  elfe  ?  Your  bufmefs,  cares, 
fears,  and  other  pleafure^,  will  be  all  forgotten  for  a  feafon. 
Now,  if  this  is  the  cafe,  I  defire  to  know,  why  the  glory 
of  the  tiue  God,  difcovered  in  his  word,  and  illuftrated 
by  his  Spirit,  may  not,  or  ouj^ht  not  to  be  the  fubjeft  of 
the  greateft  wonder,  and  moft  exalted  pleafure,  to  thofe 
who  truly  love  him  ?  The  truth  is,  there  is  fo  much  to  be 
feen,  that  is  furprifing  and  afi:onilhing,  both  in  the  nature 
and  works  of  God,  in  creation,  providence,  and  redemp- 
tion,, that  the  only  thing  that  hinders  us  from  dwelling 


as  bis  Exceeding  Joy.  16 ^ 

threat  caiifc  of  joy  to  fome  :  but  who  arc  they  ?  is  it  not  a 
joy  with  which  a  llranp^er  cannot  intermeddle,  that  per- 
tains only  to  a  priv'ik^j2;ed  few  ?  This  inquiry  is  highly 
needful,  as  the  great  fpring  of  joylefs  communions  is  the 
want  of  a  perfonal  application  of  the  blelfings  of  our  Re- 
deemer's purchafe.  I'hat  I  may  neither  unwarrantably 
difcourage  any,  nor  proilitute  this  precious  privilege  to 
the  unworthy,  I  fhall  oblerve,  that  this  joy  is  truly  appli- 
cable to  all  to  whom  it  is  defirable  ;  to  all  whom  it  may  be 
ufeful,  but  in  diflcrent  lights,  according  to  their  different 
charafters. 

lit,  All  thofc  who  have  not  only  laid  hold  on  Chrift  for 
falvation,  but  have  fome  degree  of  humble  confidence 
in  the  divine  mercy,  on  whom  the  Lord  has  lifted  up  the 
light  of  his  reconciled  countenance.  If  there  any  fuch 
among  us,  as  God  forbid  but  diere  were,  they  ought ; 
but  why  do  I  fay  they  ought ;  for,  no  doubt,  they  certain- 
ly will  go  to  God  as  their  exceeding  joy.  To  you,  my 
brethren,  it  belongs,  with  wonder  and  gratitude,  to  fur- 
vey  thele  bleflings  to  which  you  know  your  title,  and  to 
join  in  that  heavenly  anthem.  Rev.  i.  5,  6.  " — Unto  him 
*'  tiiat  loved  us,  and  waflied  us  from  our  fins  in  his  own 
'•  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priefts  unto  God, 
"  and  his  father,  to  him  be  glory,  and  dominion  for  ever 
"  and  ever.  Amen."  Rev.  vii.  12.  "  Eleffing  and  glory, 
"  and  wifdom,  and  thankfgiving,  and  honor  and  power, 
"  and  might,  be  unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 
Let  your  faith  follow  your  rifen  Redeemer  to  his  Father's 
throne,  and  look  forward  to  what  he  is  doing  and  preparing 
for  you,  as  well  as  backward  to  what  he  hath  already  done, 
ir  Satan  be  under  your  feet ;  if  fin  be  crucified  on  your  Sa- 
viour's crofs ;  and  cares  and  forrows  kept  at  a  difiance  I 
hope  it  will  help  you  to  fome  conception  of  tlie  felicity  of 
thai  flaie,  "  wiiere  lliere  Ihall  be  no  more  curfe,  but  tlie 
"  throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb  fludl  be  \\\  it,  and  his 
"•  fervants  fliall  ierve  him." 

zdly,  Inthis  ordinance  there  is  matter  of  joy  and  con- 
iblation  to  the  fearful  and  doubting  Chriuian,  \\\\o,  not 
without  defires  after  God,  and  the  remembrance  of  hia 
name,  yet  is  full  of  Iblicitudo  and  anxictv,  and  di.re  not 

Vol.  IL  X 


i66  ^he  Bdk'Tier  going  to  God 

pofitlvely  affirm  his  own  intereft  in  the  Saviour.  Whal 
is  fet  before  us  in  this  ordinance,  particularly  what  I  have 
this  day  opened  up  on  the  fubject,  will  Ihow  how  well  it 
is  fitted  for  llrengthening  the  weak,  and  comforting  the 
feeble-minded.  But,  to  explain  this  propriety  a  little, 
let  me  alkyou,  is  your  doubt  of  God's  willingnefs  to  re- 
ceive returning  fmners  ?  'I'his  doubt  the  Lord's  fupper 
is  a  full  refolulion  of;  this  table  fpread  by  ijis  appointment, 
is  an  exprefs  llipulatibn,  on  his  part,  ot  pardon  and  peace, 
to  ail  who  are  willing  to  accept  of  them  on  the  terms 
of  the  gofpel  ?  Well,  but  v.hat  are  the  ternis  of  the 
gofpel  ?  Infinitely  free-  and  gracioftis,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  exceeding  ftrift  and  fevere  on  the  other  ;  full 
forgivenefs  to  the  chief  of  fmners,  without  any  merit  or 
qualification  on  their  part ;  complete  deliverance  fro:n 
the  pov/er  of  corruption  ^  and  fanftification  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  grace.  What  then  are  the  fevere  terms  ?  Truly 
to  acceptof  therri  jafl:  as  fully  and  freely  as  they  are  of- 
fered ;  to  receive  forgivenefs  as  mere'  mercy,  which  we 
have  not  deferved,  and  defire  deliverance  from  every  fin 
Vv'ithout  exception  ;  and  to  expeft  to  obtain  it,  not  from 
ourfelves,  but  by  the  ftrength  that  is  in  Chrill :  the  true 
felf-denial  of  the  gofpel  is  the  hardefl;  facrifice  to  human 
pride.  Men  may  cry  up  morality,  and  boall  of  it,  and 
tfuft  in  itj  and  never  praftife  it ;  but  heartily  to  approve 
of  the  \vholG  law  of  God,  and  breathe  after  conformity  to 
it,-  as  the  purchafe  of  Chrill'sdeath,  and  the  efieft  of  our 
union  with  him,  and  giving  the  honor  of  it  only  to  him, 
this,  if  I  miitake  not,  is  the  obedience  of  faith.-  Now, 
do  you  do-ubt  whether  you  have  accepted  Clirifi:  on  thefe 
terms:  This  is  not  doubting;,  butrefufing;-  and  I  have 
no  confolation  for  you.  But  if  you  are  willing  that  ChrifL 
iliould  be  all,  and  you  fhould  be  nothing,  and  fincerely 
grieve  for  the  fin  and  impurity  that  itill  cleaves  to  you, 
and  even  for  3-our  unbelief,  and  the  hardnefs  of  your  hearts, 
com.e  to  this  table,  and  "  my  God  lliall  fupply  all  your 
•■'  w^ants  from  his  riches  in  glory  by  Chrill  Jeibs." 

3dly,  That  I  may,  if  polfible,  yet  farther  illuftrate  and 
commend  the  divine  grace,  here  is  matter  of  joy  to  all 
v/ithout  exception  ;     ''  Beheld^  I  bring  you  glad  tiding^^ 


as  his  Exceeding  Joy,  167 

"  of  great  joy,  that  God  Is  in  Chrift  reconciling  the  world 
'■'-  unto  himlelt!"  You  have  caufc  to  be  thankful,  that, 
for  your  former  contempt  of  mercy,  you  have  not  been 
cut  off  iVoiU  the  land  of  the  living,  and  condemned  for  ever 
to  the  ilames.  O  that  you  were  fenfiblc  what  grace  and 
patience  is  exercilcd  towards  you  in  your  daily  preferva- 
tion  !  that  your  paft  r^fufals  have  not  been  accepted  as 
your  final  choice,  and  your  Rate  determined  beyond  re- 
demption !  I  do,  now,  upon  this  folemn  occafion,  when 
the  body  and  blood  of  ChriH,  as  broken  and  ihed  for  fm- 
ners,  is  to  be  fet  before  }'0u,  by  his  warrant  and  autho- 
rity, befeech  you,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  pray  you 
to  be  reconciled  ur»to  him.  Shall  I  be  obliged,  on  this 
feafon  of  joy,  amiilft  fo  bright  a  difplay  of  divine  love,  to 
unflieath  tiie  fword  of  almighty  vengeance,  and  denounce 
the  terrors  of  the  Lord  ?  No,  my  brethren,  I  rather 
chufe,  now,  to  befeech  than  to  command,  to  invite  than 
to  threaten  }-ou  ;  to  fliew  you  the  wrath  of  God  falling  up- 
on your  Saviour  than  upon  yourfelves  ;  and  fliall  not  his 
Jove  conftraia  you,  fliall  not  his  mercy  perfuade  )'ou,  not 
to  rejedil  the  counfel  of  God  againft  yourfelves  ?  Will  you 
prefer  the  pleafures  of  fin,  carnal  mirth,  and  fenfual  riot, 
to  all  the  bleffed  fruits  of  divine  love  ?  You  will  fay,  I 
fufpccl:  that  you  have  but  a  cold  notion  of  all  this  profufion 
of  language  about  joy  in  God  ;  it  is  becaufe  you  know  it 
not-  Do  but  tafte  and  fee,  that  the  Lord  is  good  !  I  am 
fenfiblc,  however,  it  is  in  vain  to  fpeak  to  any  but  thofe 
who  arc  weary  of  their  fins  ;  and  therefore  I  fliall  only,  in 
our  Saviour's  words,  call  all  thofe  "  who  are  weary  and 
"  heavy  laden  to  come  unto  him,  that  they  may  have  refi." 
As  this  ordinance  is  proper  for  ratifying  former  engage- 
ments, fo  it  is  alfo  proper  for  entering  into  covenant  with 
God,  and  folemnly  giving  yourlelves  to  be  his.  And  oh 
that  this  may  be  a  day  and  place,  marked  in  the  regifters 
of  heaven,  when  and  wUere  many  joined  themfelves  to  . 
the  Lord  in  a  perpetual  covenant  never  to  be  forgotten  or 
recalled  ! 

3.  The  lafiiufe  to  be  made  of  tills  fubjctt,  is  to  fliow 
you  what  is  your  proixir  employment  at  the  Lord's  table. 
Jt  ought  to  be  a  joyful,  thankful  application  of  the  bleffings 


i68  The  BelicDer  going  to  God^  h''c. 

of  Chrift's  purchafe  to  your  fouls.  Be  ftrong  in  faith, 
giving  glory  to  God  ;  not  only  celebrate  his  love,  but  im- 
prove it,  by  Trilling,  in  faith,  every  thing  necefiary  to 
your  fanftification  and  peace. — liliall  Ihut  up  all,  by  de- 
firing  you  to  ufe  the  Pfalmifl's  preface,  iu  going  unto 
God,  who  fays,  in  the  3d  verfe,  "  O  fend  out  thy  light 
*'  and  thy  truth  ;  let  them  lead  me,  let  them  bring  me  in- 
"  to  thy  holy  hill,  and  to  thy  tabernacles."  In  order  to 
raife  and  elevate  your  minds,  to  fix  and  engage  your  un- 
fettled  hearts,  apply  to  God,  who  hath  the  hearts  of  all 
men  in  his  hand,  that  he  would  difpofe  you  for  his  fer- 
vice  ;  that  he  would  fhed  abroad  his  love  in  your  hearts, 
and  make  you  joyful  in  his  houlc  of  prayer.  And  my  ear- 
tieft  prayer  to  God  for  you,  is,  that  he  would  at  this  time, 
convert  fome,  or  (why  Oiould  we  hmit  him  ?)  every  pro- 
fane fmner  in  this  affembly  ;  pull  oiT  the  mafls;  of  hypo- 
crites, and  fliew^  them  their  own  likenefs  ;  that  he  would 
make  it  a  joyful  communion  to  many  of  you,  and  a  pro- 
fitable communion  to  all.     Amen. 


[      1^9     ] 


ccoo  rcwo  vwQ  >-vx  OMO  "cco  fooo  CvXM  oov  0000  cooc  C009  oooa  *  ouoo  CCV3  COM  cooo  cc»  vooj  ceoo  cocy  (KK^^  QCfvs  «QOB  ^oe* 
•300  oooe  oooo  oooa  com  oooo  mo*  .^ooe  aooj  «•«  ««oo  oceo  aMO  ^  egou  moo  com  ecoo  0009  «oou  o««j  cooo  omo  co«o  •«*>  «CM 

The  CHRISTIAN'S    DISPOSITION    under  a 
SENSE  OF  MERCIES  RECEIVED. 


S   E  II  M   O   N 


Psalm  cxvi.  7. 

Return  unto  thy  rest^  0  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bowiti fully  ivith  thee. 

IT  is  the  language  of  nature,  as  well  as  of  grace,  to  ciy 
to  Godin  diflrefs.  When  great  extremity  flious  the 
weakiicls  of  all  other  help,  there  remains  fo  much  of  God 
written  on  the  confciences  even  of  the  moft  proOigate,  as 
excites  them  to  this  duty.  The  truth  of  this  obfcrvation 
appears  from  many  fcripture  examples,  as  well  as  every 
day's  experience.  But  though  bad  men  may  cry  to  God 
for  deliverance  from  fuffering,  they  know  little,  if  any 
thing  at  all,  of  returning  to  God  in  duty  and  gratitude, 
for  the  mercy  received,  Pfal.  Ixxviii.  34, — 37.  ''When 
"  he  flew  them,  then  they  fought  him  ;  and  they  return- 
"  ed,  and  inquired  early  after  God.  And  they  remem- 
''  bered  that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  high  God  their 
"  Redeemer.  Neverthelefs,  they  did  flatter  him  with  their 
"  mouth,  and  they  lied  unto  him  with  their  tongues.  For 
'■'■  their  heart  was  not  right  with  him  ;  neither  were  they 
'■'■  fledfaft  in  his  covenant."  See  alfo  the  account  of  the 
ten  lepers,  Luke  xvii.  12, — 17.  **  And  as  he  entered  in- 
*'  to  a  certain  village,  there  met  him  ten  men  that  were 
"  lepers,  which  flood  afar  off,  and  they  lifted  up  their  vol- 


170  The  Christian'' s  Disposition  wider 

"  ces,  and  faid,  Jefus,  Mafter,  have  mercy  on  us.  And, 
"  when  he  faw  them,  he  faid  unto  them,  go  fliew  your- 
*""  felves  unto  the  prieils  ;  and  it  came  to  pals,  that,  as  they 
"  went,  they  were  cleanfed.  And  one  of  them,  when  he 
"  faw  that  he  was  healed,  turned  back,  and,  with  a  loud 
"  voice,  glorified  God,  and  fell  down  on  his  face,  at  his 
"  feet,  giving  him  thanks  ;  and  he  was  a  Samaritan  :  and 
"  Jefus  anfwering,  laid,  Were  there  not  ten  cleanfed  ? 
"  but  where  are  the  nine  ?"  They  all  cried  alike  lor  the 
cure  ;  but  the  greatefc  part  foon  forgot  their  obligation  to 
their  merciful  Saviour, 

It  is  no  way  difficult  to  account  for  this  behavior  in  bad 
men ;  but,  alas !  it  is  melancholy  to  think  how  m.uch  of 
this  unhappy  difpofition  is  to  be  found  even  in  the  bed. 
When  the  preffure  of  any  trial  is  felt,  they  flee  to  God  as 
their  refuge  and  fecurity  ;  with  fervent  iupplication,  and 
earneil  vvreflling,  they  intreat  his  help.  But,  though  we 
muft  not  charge  any  fincere  fervant  of  God  with  ?ip  entire 
forgetfulnefs  of  his  goodnefs,  or  open  defertion  of  his  fer- 
vice ;  yet,  I  am  afraid,  that  many  are  very  defechive  in 
this  particular ;  and  that  few,  very  few,  preferve  t|ie  fame 
follcitude  to  improve  their  mercies,  as  to  obtain  them. 

yij  intention  is  to  apply  this  to  us,  who  have  lately 
been  at  the  Lord's  table  ;  and,  I  hope,  before  going  there, 
not  a  fev.'  were  earnefi:  in  their  prayers  for  the  divine  pre^ 
fence.  Urged  by  the  fufferings  of  this  mortal  body,  the 
lofs  of  outward  comforts,  the  power  of  inward  temptati- 
ons, or  a  defire  of  the  return  of  an  abfent  God,  or  the 
quickening  of  a  llothful  fpirit,  they  fouglit  confolation  in 
this  holv  ordinance  ;  they  v/ent  to  feek  the  Lord,  going 
and  weeping.  I  hope  alfo,  and  believe,  that  many  v»^ent 
not  in  vain,  but  "  found  him  vv'hom  their  foul  loved,  founcl 
"  him,  and  would  net  let  him  go."  AU  fuch  ought  to 
imitate  the  Pfalmift  in  the  i'pirit  that  breathes  through  the 
v/hole  of  this  Pfalm  ;  and,  particularly,  in  the  words  of 
my  text :  Return  unto  thy  rest,  0  ray  soul,  for  the  Lord 
bath  dealt  boimtijully  v^ith  thee. 

I  need  only  fay,  in  a  very  few  v;ords,  tliat  the  whole 
Pfalm  is  an  expreffion  of  his  gratitude  for  deliverance 
from  gr^at  fuiTerings,  from  enemies  cruel  and  treacherous. 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  Received.  17 1 

They  were  alfo  of  an  inward,  as  well  as  an  outward  kind^ 
as  all  his  trials  did  ordinarily  bring  fm  to  remembrance, 
and  till  him  with  a  humbling  {cw{q  of  the  awful  judgments 
of  a  holy  and  righteous  God.  He  feems  alfo  to  have  been 
particularly  exercifed  in  prayer  to  God  his  all-lUflicient 
help:  ver.  3,4.  "  Theforrowsofdeathcompafrcdme,andthe 
"  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me  :  I  found  trouble  and  for- 
"  row.  Then  called  I  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord;  O  Lord, 
"  I  befeech  thee,  deliver  my  foul."  He  thereupon  cele- 
brates the  mercy  of  God,  and  wearing  the  bonds  o:  love, 
defires  to  exprels  his  obligations  in  die  ftrongefl  terms,  aiid 
to  fatisfy  them  by  the  moft  chearful  obedience:  ver.  12. 
"  What  ihall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  hij  benefits 
••'  towards  me  :*' 

In  difcourling  further,  at  this  time,  I  fliall  jull  obferve, 
that  the  words  of  the  text  contain  the  Pfalmill's  refolu- 
tion  :  Return  unto  thy  rest^  0  my  soul. — And  the  reafon 
on  which  it  is  founded  ; — ■■ — Jor  the  Lord  hath  dealt  boun- 
tifully ivith  thee.  Thefe  two,  as  applicable  to  the  fer- 
vants  of  God  in  general,  and  ourfelvcs  in  particular,  I  ihall 
dillindtly  confider,  not  in  the  order  of  the  w^ords,  but  in 
the  order  of  nature. 

I.  I  fhall  defcribc  the  llateoflhofe  widi  wliom  God 
•hath  dealt  bountifully. 

II.  Explain  the  import  of  the  Pfalmifi's  refolution, 
\vhich  ought  to  be  theirs :  Return  u>i!o  thy  rect^  0  my 
soul. 

And  then  fliall  make  fomc  pradtical  improvement  of 
the  fubje^h 

L  Tlien,  I  fliall  defcrlbe  the  ftatc  of  tliofe  with  whom 
God  hath  dealt  hoir.itifully  ;  and  I  am  jull  to  defcribc  this, 
in  its  great  lines,  from  experience,  befeeching  e\'ery  one 
prefent  to  hear  it  with  application ;  and  to  add  luch  cir- 
eumitances  to  the  feveral  particulars,  as  will  make  them 
completely  fuitable  to  his  ov/n  Hate-— Obferve,  then, 

I.  Tiiat  tiie  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thofc 
from  whom  he  hrJ.h  removed  any  nfflidion  under  which 
tliey  2ro?.ned,  and  fur  deliverance  from  which  they  pray* 


172  The  Christian  Disposition  under 

ed. — If  we  would  count  our  mercies,  they  are  very  many: 
and  we  often  lofe  both  the  relilh  of  them,  and  the  benefit 
of  them,  by  not  obferving  them.  Thofe  who  are  deliver- 
ed from  ficknefs,  or  the  fear  of  it,  in  themfelves,  or  their 
relations,  ought  to  be  fenfible  of  the  gocdnefs  of  God,  who 
maketh  them  to  lye  down  and  rife  up  in  fafet}''. — if  any 
had  reafon  to  fear  confinement  from  ordinances,  or  from 
ufefulnefs,  they  fliould  fay,  with  the  Piklmift,  Pliil.  cxviii. 

16, 19.   "  The  right  hand  of  the  Lord  is  exalted ;  the 

"  right  hand  of  the  Lord  doth  valiantly.  I  fliall  not  die, 
"  but  live,  and  declare  the  works  of  the  Lord  ;  the  Lord 
"  hath  chaftened  me  fore  ;  but  he  hath  not  given  me  over 
"  unto  death.  Open  to  me  the  gates  of  righteoufnefs  ;  I 
"  will  go  into  them,  and  I  will  praife  the  Lord." — If  any 
were  opprefled  with  calumny  and  reproach,  and  God  hath 
hidden  them  from  the  ftrife  of  tongues,  hath  pleaded  their 
caufe,  or  brought  forth  their  "  judgment  as  the  light,  and 
"  their  righteouniefs  as  the  noon-day."  The  Pfalmift 
fays,  Pfal.  cxviii.  10, — 14.  "  All  nations  compafled  me 
*'  about ;  but  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  will  I  deflroy  them. 
"  They  compalTed  me  about,  yea,  they  compaffed  me 
"  about ;  but,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  I  will  deilroy  them. 
"  They  compaifed  me  about  like  bees  ;  they  are  quench- 
*'  ed  as  the  fire  of  thorns  ;  for,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
"  I  will  deftroy  them.  Thou  hafi:  thrull  fore  at  me, 
"  that  I  might  fall ;  but  the  Lord  helped  me  :  the  Lord 
"  is  my  ftrength  and  fong,  and  is  become  my  falvation." 
If  any  are  delivered  from  the  fear  of  want,  and  a  reafon- 
able  profpe61:  given  them  of  competent  and  fuitable  pro- 
vifion  for  themfelves  and  families  ;  if  they  can  remember 
the  time,  whether  laiely  or  at  a  greater  dillance,  when 
they  feemed  to  be  threatened  vv^ith  poverty  and  depend- 
ance,  and  all  the  fname,  diftrefs,  a>d  temptation  that 
attends  that  enfaaring  ilate  ;  if,  I  lay,  the  ca,ny  remember 
this,  and  fee  how  God,  by  a  gracious  providence'*Tias  led 
them  by  the  hand  ;  has  given  tliem  food  to  eat  and  rai- 
ment to  put  on,  and  even  honored  them  with  the  ability 
and  the  heart  to  llretch  out  their  hands  to  the  poor  and 
needv,  the  fatherlefs  and  the  widow  ;  furely  he  hath  dealt 
bountifully  widi  them.     They  ought  to  iky  widi  the  Pfal- 


a  Sejise  of  Mercies  rccehcd.  181 

with  delight  on  this  great  fubjedt,  is  the  finfulnefs  of  our 
nature,  which  too  ftrongly  prompts  us  to  flee  from  him. 
When  therefore  the  beUever  is  freed  from  the  apprehen- 
fions  of  guilt,  and  goes  to  God,  as  his  God,  in  gratitude 
and  duty,  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  taftes  a  little  of  that  un- 
fpeakable  joy  that  is  at  his  right  hand.  I  doubt  not,  but 
many  will  fay  this  is  true.  O  let  but  the  light  of  his  re- 
conciled countenance  fliine  upon  me,  let  me  be  but  free 
from  the  doubt,  fufpicion,  and  fear,  fuggefted  by  my  flns» 
and  heaven  would  immediately  begin  to  dawn  upon  my 
foul ! 

As  intimate  communion  with  God  may  be  faid  to  bring 
down  fomething  of  heaven  to  earth,  fo  it  always  carries 
the  defires  of  the  foul  from  earth  to  heaven.  It  is  not  on- 
ly made  up  of  faith  and  contemplation  in  the  prefent  ftate, 
but  of  hope,  which  breathes  after  further  difcoveries  in  a 
ilate  of  greater  perfedtion.  It  not  only  increafes  defire, 
but  helps  our  conceptions.  The  foul,  if  I  may  fpeak  {o^ 
climbs  up  to  the  fummit  of  prefent  enjoyments,  that  it 
may  fee  the  farther  into  what  ftill  remains.  It  fays,  as  it 
were,  if  fuch  the  glory  and  luflre  of  the  outer  court,  what 
mufl  be  the  unvailed  fplendor  of  the  holy  of  holies.  You 
fee  the  apoftle  Paul  makes  this  ufe  of  comparative  reflexi- 
ons, I  Cor.  xiii.  9, — 12.  "For  we  know  in  part;  and. 
"  we  prophefy  in  part ;  but  when  that  which  is  perfect  is 
"  come,  then  that  which  is  in  part  fliall  be  done  away. 
"  When  I  was  a  child,  I  fpake  as  a  child,  I  underllood  as 
"  a  child,  I  thouglit  as  a  child  ;  but,  when  I  became  a 
"  man,  I  put  away  childifh  things:  for  now  we  fee  through 
"  a  glafs  darkly  ;  but  then  face  to  face  :  now  I  know  in. 
"  part,  but  then  (hall  I  know  even  as  alfo  I  am  known.'* 
T  John  iii.  2. — "  And  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  fliall 
"■  be  ;  but  we  know,  that  when  he  fliall  appear,  we  fliall 
*'  be  like  him  ;  for  we  fliall  fee  him  as  he  is." 

Alas  !  my  brethren,  that  intimate  communion  with 
God  fliould  be  fo  rare,  and  that  fo  {(t^  of  us  flioukl  attain 
to  the  difpofition  of  the  Apoftle  of  the  Gentiles,  who  defi- 
red  "  to  depart  and  to  be  with  Chrift,  which  is  far  better." 
Let  us  be  aihamed  of  it.  Surely  many  of  us  have  tafted 
a  good  deal,  and  feen  a  good  deal  more  of  the  vanity  of 

Vol.  II.  Z 


.i82  The  ChristlaJi's  Disposition  imder 

the  world,  which  ought  to  wean  our  aiTeftions  from  it, 
Happy,  happy  they  !  v/ho  can  ufe  the  language  of  the 
apoille  to  the  Philippians,  Phil.  iii.  20,  21.  "  For  our 
"  converfation  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  alfo  v/e  look  for 
"  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jefus  Chriil ;  who  iliall  change 
"  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fafliioned  like  unto  his 
"  glorious  body,  according  to  the  working,  whereby  he  is 
*'  able  even  to  fubdue  all  things  unto  himfelf."  ^nd, 
Titus  ii.  13.  "  Looking  for  that  blefTcd  hope,  and  the  glo- 
"  rious  appearing  of  the  great  God,  and  our  Saviour,  Jc- 
"  fus  Chrilh"  That  there  are  fome  who  have  been  for- 
merly, and  of  late,  fo  happily  vifited  with  the  divine  pre- 
fence,  I  have  little  doubt ;  and  to  as  many  as  have  been  fo, 
fureiy  I  am  warranted  to  fay,  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bounti- 
fully With  you. 

II.  I  come  now  to  the  fecond  thing  propofed,  viz.  to 
explain  the  import  of  the  Pfalmift's  refolution,  or  his  ex- 
hortation to  his  own  foul,  which  all  in  the  lame  fituation 
ought  to  imitate,  Return  unto  thy  rest^  0  my  soul.  It 
may,  perhaps,  be  fuppofed  only  to  imply,  that  he  refolves 
to  forget  his  anxiety  and  care,  and  folace  himfelf  in  that 
flate  of  quiet  and  fecurity  to  which  he  was  happily  brought 
by  the  kindnefs  of  Providence  ;  but  though,  no  doubt, 
this  may  be  ccnfidered  as,  in  part,  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  I  cannot  think  it  is  the  whole.  It  would  be  doing 
great  injury  to  the  holy  Pfalmift,  to  fuppofe  that  he  was" 
not  carried  upward,  in  his  views,  to  the  Author  of  his  reft, 
or  to  God  himfelf,  as  the  reft  of  his  foul.  The  Vv'hole 
pfalm,  indeed,  breathes  his  piety  and  gratitude  to  God; 
and  his  defire  of  teftifjin.git  by  every  proper  and  accepta- 
ble expreffion.  Taking  the  words,  therefore,  in  this 
light,  we  may  fuppofe  them  to  imply  the  following  parti- 
culars : 

I  ft,  Return,  and  give  the  praife  where  it  is  due;  and 
humbly  acknowledge  God  as  the  author  of  thy  mercies. 
He  had,  as  we  fee  by  the  preceding  verf;s,  earneftly  im- 
plored help  from  God  in  his  diftrefs  ;  and,  now,  defires 
to  confefs  that  it  came  from  no  other  quarter.  We  are  ex- 
ceeding ready   to  fail  in  tliis  particular ;  •  fometimxes  we 


a  Sense' of  Mercies  rccchcd.  i8^ 

look  upon  the  outward  means  and  vlfible  inflruments  of 
our  deliverance,  and  forget  the  Supreme  Difpofer  of  all 
events,  who  employs  them,  direfts  llicm,  and  blcflcs 
them.  Sometimes  \\c  embrace  the  mercy  itfclf  with  fo 
much  complacency,  that  we  forget  bolh  our  former  necef- 
fity,  and  the  author  of  our  deli  v^erance.  In  oppofition  to 
both  thefe,  it  is  our  indifpcnfible  duty,  to  afcribe  txcry 
mercy  wc  receive,  and  Q.\(^\y  deliverance  with  which  v/e 
are  favored,  to  God,  as  its  proper  autlior,  and  to  ofier 
him  the  tribute  of  praife,  and  to  blefs  his  name  for  ever. 
James  i.  17.  "  Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfedl  gift  is 
"■*  from  above,  and  comclh  down  from  the  Father  of  ligjits." 
I  admire  the  manner  offpeaking  frequently  found  in  icrip- 
ture,  where  the  kindncfs  of  men  towards  us  is  immedi- 
ately and  exprefsly  attributed  to  the  agency  of  God,  Gen. 
xxxix.  21.  "  But  the  Lord  was  with  Jofeph,  and  fliewcd 
"  him  mercy,  and  gave  him  favor  in  the  fight  of  the  lieep- 
"erofdic  prifon."  Ac\s  vii.  9,  10.  "  And  the  patriarchs, 
"■  moved  with  c\\^'Y^  fold  Jofeph  into  Egypt ;  but  God  v/as 
•■'  with  him,  and  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  afTiiciions, 
''  and  gave  him  favor  and  wifdom  in  the  fight  of  Pharaoh, 
"  King  of  Egypt ;  and  he  made  him  governor  over  Eg)' pt, 
"  and  all  his  houfc."  Dan.  i.  9.  "  Novv'  God  had  brouj'jht 
"  Daniel  into  favor  and  tender  lc\'e  with  the  Prince  of  the 
"  eunuchs." 

How  great  a  dut}-,  and  how  important  a  part  of  religi- 
on, praife  and  thanigiving  to  God  are,  may  be  feen  in 
every  page  of  the  holy  fcripture,  both  in  the  way  of  pre- 
cept and  example,  Deut.  viii.  10.  *'  When  thou  hafi:  eat- 
"•  en,  and  art  full,  tl^en  thou  fnalt  blefs  die  Lord  tliy  God, 
"  for  the  good  land  which  he  hath  given  thee."  Pfalni 
cxxxvi.  1,2,  3.  *'  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  he 
"  is  goovi ;  for  his  nurcy  enduredi  for  ever.  O  give 
"  tiianks  unto  the  God  of  gods  ;  for  his  mercy  endureth 
''  forever.  Ogive  dianks  to  die  Lord  of  lords  ;  for  his 
■'  mercy  endiu-cth  for  ever."  Pfal.  ciii.  i,  2,  3.  "  Blefs 
'■'•  the  Lord,  O  my  foul,  and  all  that  is  within  me,  blefs 
"  his  holy  name.  Blefs  the  Lord,  O  my  foul,  and  for- 
"  get  not  all  his  benefits;  who  forgivcth  all  thine  iniqui- 
"  ties;   who   healeth  all  djy  difeafcs."     Pfal.  cxlv.  i,  2. 


184  The  Christianas  Disposition  under 

*'  I  will  extol  thee,  my  God,  O  king  ;  and  I  will  blefs 
"  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever.  Every  day  will  I  blefs 
"  thee ;  and  I  will  praife  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever." 
And  that  this  duty  ought  particularl)^  to  be  difcharged  by 
thofe  who  have  been  highly  favored  of  God  in  any  refpeft, 
is  very  plain.  Though  the  glory  of  God  is  the  fubje£t  of 
habitual  adoration,  and  the  conltant  courfe  of  his  bounty, 
the  fubjeft  of  habitual  gratitude,  yet  new  and  fpecial  mer- 
cies, give,  as  it  were,  a  new  fpring,  and  add  ftrength  and 
vigor  to  the  foul  in  this  exercife.  Our  praifes  ought  to 
be  particular,  as  well  as  general ;  and  thofe  who  obferve 
and  record  the  fpecial  inllances  of  divine  mercy  toward 
them,  will  find  a  fulnefs  of  heart  in  this  duty,  to  which 
they  are  perfeft  flrangers,  who  fatisfy  themfelves  with  a 
general  and  indifcriminate  acknowledgment  of  the  divine 
bounty.  Many  of  the  Pfalms  of  David  are  monuments 
of  his  gratitude,  for  particular  interpofitions  of  Provi- 
dence in  his  behalf,  and  bear  particular  marks  of  refer- 
ence to  the  time  and  circumftances  of  his  diftrefs. 

I  only  add,  upon  this  fubjeft,  that  the  Pfalmift  might 
well  fay,  in  this  fenfe,  Return  unto  thy  rest,  0  my  soul ; 
for  a  tender  and  afFe6lionate  acknowledgment  of  the  mer- 
cies of  God,  not  only  makes,  us  find  our  reft  in  him,  but 
makes  his  mercies  reft  with  us  ;  it  increafes  the  fweetnefs 
of  every  comfort ; — it  purifies  its  nature  ; — it  prolongs  its 
duration. — It  increafes  the  fweetnefs  of  it :  for  this  I  ap- 
peal to  the  experience  of  every  child  of  God.  Do  you 
ever  talle  fo  much  real  delight  in  any  mercy,  as  when  you 
pour  out  your  heart  to  God  in  gratitude  for  beftowing  it ; 
even  in  gifts  from  men  we  are  fometimes  fenfible  of  a 
higher  value  in  them,  on  account  of  the  perfon  M'ho  gave 
them,  than  any  worth  they  have  in  themfelves.  This 
holds,  in  the  ftrongeft  manner,  with  regard  to  God ;  the 
more  v/e  return  our  mercies  in  praife  to  the  giver,  the 
iiiore  we  polTefs  them,  and  the  greater  richnefs  we  difco- 
ver  in  them. — It  alfo  purifies  their  nature.  Many  inftan- 
ces  of  divine  goodnefs  regard  our  ftate  and  circumftances 
in  the  prefent  life;  they  are  tlie  objects  of  fenfible  grati- 
fication, as  well  as  religious  gratitude.  Nou%  when  we 
obferve  and  celebrate  the  kindnefs  of  him  that  beftows 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  received.  i$^ 

them,  they  not  only  ftrenn;then  the  body,  but  fanclify 
the  foul.  Is  it  not  ibmething  more  than  barely  outward 
provifion,  when  we  fay  with  the  Pfalmill,  Pfal.  xxiii.  5. 
"  Thou  prepareil  a  table  before  me,  in  the  prefence  of 
**  mine  enemies ;  thou  anointeft  my  head  with  oil ;  my 
"  cup  runneth  over  ?"* — Again,  it  prolongs  the  duration 
of  our  mercies.  One  of  the  confcquences  of  the  weaknefs 
and  imperfeftion  of  the  prefent  ftate,  is,  that  we  are  rea- 
dy foon  to  forget  our  mercies,  and  to  lofe  the  relifh  of 
them.  In  how  many  inllances  do  we  find,  that  what  gave 
us  great  and  fenfible  pleafure  at  firfl,  becomes,  in  time, 
habitual,  and,  at  laft,  indifferent  to  us  ?  Now,  praifing, 
and  confeffuig  the  goodnefs  of  God  in  them,  ferves  to 
write  them  upon  our  hearts ;  to  continue  the  fweetnefs  of 
common  mercies  ;  and  keep  up  the  memory  of  fignal 
mercies,  or  thofe  of  an  extraordinary  kind.  Health, 
llrength,  pro\nfion,  and  comfort,  when  they  are  not  in- 
terrupted, are  apt  to  be  quite  overlooked ;  but  the  daily 
acknowledgment  of  divine  goodnefs,  gives  us  not  only 
the  pofTeffion,  but  the  ufe  of  them.  Signal  mercies,  in 
time,  flip  out  of  the  memory,  but  the  more  we  have  ac- 
knowledged them,  they  will  be  the  more  eafily  recalled 
to  remembrance.  I  have  known  inflances  of  pious  per- 
fons,  appointing  fixed  days  of  thankfgiving  for  extraor- 
dinary deliverances,  which  ferved  to  renew  their  fenfe  of 
them,  and  gave  them  fome  degree,  at  lealt,  of  the  fame 
joy  and  gratitude  which  they  felt  when  the  event  happen- 
ed. Some  alfo,  by  keeping  a  record  in  writing  of  the 
paths  of  divine  providence  toward  them,  are  able  to  read 
them  over  at  proper  times  in  their  order,  to  compare  them 
together,  and  thus,  as  it  were,  to  have  a  rich  feafl  upon 
a  whole  life  of  mercies,  the  remembrance  of  many  of 
which  would  otherv.ife  have  been  effaced  by  time. 

2.  This  expreffion  may  imply  returning  to  God,  and 
delighting  in  him  as  our  reconciled  God,  and  fuprcme 
portion  and  happinel's.  This  is  indeed  the  refl  of  the  gra- 
cious foul,  which  gives  him  more  joy  than  all  outward 
poffeffions  taken  together.  His  outward  poffeflions  have 
no  value,  but  as  they  How  from  it,  and  lead  back  to  it. 
He  %s  with  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  iv.  6,  7,  8.  «  There  be 


iS6  l^he  Christian'' s  disposition  under 

"  many  that  fay,  Who  will  fhow  us  any  good  ?  Lord, 
"  lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.  Thou 
"  haft  put  gladnefs  in  my  heart,  more  than  in  the  time 
"  that  their  corn  and  their  wine  increafed.  I  will  both 
**•  lay  me  down  in  peace  and  fieep :  for  thou  Lord  only 
"  makeft  me  dwell  in  fafety.  Pial.  Ixxiii.  23,  25.  Never- 
"  thelefs  I  am  continually  v/ith  thee  :  thou  haft  holden  me 
*'  by  my  right  hand.  Thou  Ihalt  guide  me  with  thy 
"  counfel,  and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory.  Whom 
"  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon 
"  earth  that  I  defire  beftdes  thee."  Now,  my  brethren, 
this  reft  is  frequently  difturbed,  and  meets  with  interrup- 
tion in  the  prefent  life.  Sin  is  the  chief  caufe  of  inter- 
ruption ;  it  raifes  an  interpofmg  cloud,  and  feparates  be- 
tVv^een  God  and  us.  But  it  is  alfo  fometimes  interrupted 
by  afilicYion,  and  diftreffes  of  various  kinds.  Thefe  two 
caufes  have  a  mutual  relation,  and  a  mutual  influence  one 
upon  another.  Afflictions  bring  fm  to  remembrance,  and 
fin  fqueezesthe  bittereft  ingredients  into  the  cup  of  afflic- 
tion ;  fo  that  it  fometimes  becomes  a  cup  of  trembling. 
The  believer  is  often  ready  to  raiftake  the  rod  of  fatherly 
correftion  for  the  exterminating  ftroke  of  avenging  juftice: 
hence  the  bitter  and  heart  melting  complaints  of  many  of 
the  children  of  God.  Job.  vi.  4.  "  For  the  arrows  of  the 
"  Almight)^  are  within  me,  the  poifon  Vv^hereof  drinketh 
"  up  my  fpirit,  the  terrors  of  God  do  fet  themfelves  in 
''  array  againft  me."  Pfal.  xlii.  6,  7.  "  O  my  God,  my 
*'  foul  is  caft  down  Vv^ithin  me  :  therefore  vvdll  I  remember 
*•'  thee  fi'om  the  land  of  Jordan,  and  of  the  Hermonites, 
"  from  the  hill  Mizar.  Deep  calleth  unto  deep  at  the 
"  noife  of  thy  water- fpouts  :  all  thy  waves  and  thy  billows 
"  are  gone  over  me."  Lam.  iii.  i, — 4.  "lam  the  man  that 
"  hath  {ttw  affliftion  by  the  rod  of  his  wrath.  He  hath 
"  led  me  and  brought  me  into  darknefs,  but  not  into 
"  light.  Surely  againft  me  is  he  turned,  he  turneth  his 
''  hand  againft  me  all  the  rhy.  ISIy  flefii  and  my  fein 
'<  hath  lie  made  o;d,  he  hath  broken  my  bones." 

While  this  continues,  the  believer  is  excluded  from  his 
reft  ;  and  indeed  the  more  peace  he  can  take  in  any  thing, 
while  at  a  diftance  from  God,  fo  much  the  'v/orfe  fign  it 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  recehed.  i8f 

is  of  his  charatler ;  fo  much  tlic  more  fearful  fymptom 
of  his  ftate.  But  when  the  Lord  hath  loofened  his  bonds, 
lifted  up  his  countenance  upon  him,  and  .Gjiven  him  peace, 
is  it  not  proper  and  natural  for  him  to  lay,  Return  unto 
thy  rest,  0  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  boimtifidly 
nvith  thee.  When  he  hath  feen  the  marks  of  di(lin,']jui th- 
ing lo-'/e  in  his  mercies  ;  v/hen  he  hath  tailed  conlblation 
under  fullering,  or  connnunion  with  God,  in  public  or  in 
fecret,  will  not  this  difpofehim  to  reft  in  God,  to  improve 
the  happy  fcafon,  and  defire  its  continuance  ?  All  things 
■elfe  are  vain,  and  have  proved  their  vanity,  but  complete 
fatisfa<Iilion  is  here. 

I  have  no  doubt,  my  brethren,  that  tliis  is,  if  not  the 
only,  yet  one  of  the  cliief  fenfes,  in  which  we  ought  to  un- 
derftand  thcfe  words.  Reft,  you  know,  fuppofcs  labor, 
and  even  wearinels  before.  Reft  alio  feems  to  imply  that 
which  is  the  end  of  labor,  or  the  deftre  of  tiie  weary.  It 
alfo  fignifies  that  which  is  to  continue,  or  that  we  wifli  to 
continue  without  further  change.  In  this  fenle  it  is  ufed, 
Pfal.  cxxxii.  8.  and  14.  "  Arife,  O  Lord,  into  thy  reft, 
*•  thou  and  the  ark  of  thy  ftrength.  This  is  my  reft  for 
"  ever  ;  here  will  I  dwell ;  for  I  have  defired  it :"  which 
refers  to  the  ark  of  the  teftimony  taking  a  fixed  abode,  and 
being  no  more  carried  about  from  place  to  place.  The 
fame  fenfc  is  conveyed  to  us  by  Heb.  iv.  9.  '*  There  re- 
"  maineth  therefore  a  reft  to  the  people  of  God."  When, 
therefore,  the  Plalmift  fays,  Return  imto  thy  rest,  0  wy 
soul,  it  means  that  Gotl,  and  his  favor,  was  his  fupreme 
and  ultimate  defire,  the  very  centre  of  his  hope.  Is  it 
not  fo  with  every  real  fcrvant  of  God  ?  All  true  religion 
points  to,  and  ends  in  this.  All  religion,  without  tliis,  is 
an  empty  form.  And  when  we  return  to  this,  after  any 
interruption,  is  it  not  like  the  diftrelfed  mariner,  after 
having  been  driven  about  in  a  tempeftuous  ocean,  and 
threatened  every  moment  with  deftruftlon  by  the  rifing 
billows,  at  laft  obtaining  fight,  and  entering  with  heart- 
felt joy  into  a  haven  of  lecurity  and  peace  ? 

3.  In  the  laft  place,  this  expreiTion  implies  a  confi- 
dence and  reliance  on  God  for  proteclion  and  lecurity 
againft  future  dangers.     Tliis  feems  neceilary  to  tli<;  com- 


1 88  The  Christianas  Disposition  under 

pletenefs  and  perfedlion  of  any  deliverance.  The  dan- 
ger may  be  warded  oiF  for  a  feafon  ;  if  there  is  ground  to 
fear  its  immediate  or  fpeedy  return,  the  ftate  is  very  pre- 
carious, and  the  comfort  very  imperfe6l ;  but  thofe  who 
are  delivered  from  fear  of  evil,  and  think  they  can  depend 
upon  their  defence  and  guard,  have  received  a  deliverance 
indeed. 

Now,  this  is  the  view  which  a  believer  is  particularly 
led  to  take  of  God,  as  his  fure  and  all-fufficient  help.     He 
confiders  the  greatnefs  of  his  power,  the  operation  of  his 
providence,  and  the  faithfulnefs  of  his  promife.     How  of- 
ten does  the  Pfalmift  exprefs,  in  the  moft   triumphant 
inanner,  his  dependence  upon  God."*  Pfal.  xviii.  i,  2,  3. 
'  I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  flrength.     The  Lord  is 
'  my  rock,  and  my  fortrefs,  and  my  deliverer  ;  my  God, 
'  my  ftrength,  in  whom  I  will  truft ;  my  buclder,  and  the 
*  horn  of  my  falvation,  and  my  high  tower.     I  will  call 
'  upon  the  Lord,  who  is  worthy  to  be  praifed  ;  fo  fhall  I 
'  befavedfrom  mine  enemies."  Pfal.  Ixii.  5,  6,  7.  "  My 
'  foul,  wait  thou  only  upon  God ;  for  my  expectation  "is 
'  from  him.     He  only  is  my  rock  and  my  falvation  ;  he 
'  is  my  defence  ;  I  fhall  not  be  moved.     In  God  is  my 
'  falvation  and  my  glory;  the  rock  of  my  ftrength,  and 
'  my  refuge  is  in  God."  Pfal.  cxlvi.  5,  6.  "  Happy  is  he 
'  that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whole  hope  is 
'  in  the  Lord  his  God  ;  which  made  heaven  and  earth, 
'  the  fea,  and  all  that  therein  is,  which  keepeth  true  for 
'  evei*." 

My  brethren,  this  truft  and  dependence  on  God  is  a 
very  confiderable  part  of  the  reft  and  comfort  of  the  be- 
liever's foul.  He  is,  on  all  hands,  furrounded  with  ene- 
mies, liable  to  fuiiering,  expofed  to  temptations.  The 
more  he  knoweth  of  himfelf,  the  more  he  feels  his  own  in- 
herent weaknefs  and  infufficiency.  But,  in  God,  he  fees 
full  and  adequate  provifion  for  all  his  wants,  Pfal.  xxxiv. 
22.  "  The  Lord  redeemeth  the  foul  of  his  fervants  ;  and 
"  none  of  them  that  truft  in  him  ftiall  be  defolate." 

This  truft  is  alfo,  in  a  particular  manner,  generated,  by 
remembring  the  paft  goodnefs,  or  by  a  fenfe  of  the  recent 
nxercy  of  God.     We  have  daily  experiejice  of  our  own 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  received.  1 89 

wcaknefs  and  unlteadinefs  in  this  refpeft.  When  our 
liopcs  are  in  any  nicaiure  dil'appointed ;  when  calamities 
tlireaten  j  when  afflidlions  vifit  us,  we  are  ready  to  yield 
to  the  dark,  fujrgellions  of  fear  and  defpondence  ;  but 
when  we  cointemplate  the  great  goodnefs  of  God  on  for- 
mer occafions,  or  when  we  iiave  met  v\'lth  any  fmgular 
manifeftiition  of  his  grace  and  Rivor,  it  ferves  to  ilrengthen 
our  coniidence,  and  often,  indeed,  to  cover  us  withlhame 
for  our  unbelief  and  difirulf.  On  the  whole,  then,  a  be- 
liever who  imitates  the  Pfalmifl  in  this  expreflion,  Return 
unto  thy  rest^  0  my  soul^  n\ay  be  fuppofed  to  fay,  ''  Thou 
"•  hall  tailed,  O  my  foul,  of  the  loving  kindnefs  of  God! 
"-  he  hath  brought  thee  out  of  deep  waters ;  he  hath 
"  calmed  thy  fears  ;  he  hath  let  thy  feet  upon  a  rock  ;  he 
"  hath  ellabliflied  thy  goings  ;  Blufli,  blufh !  when  thou 
*'  confiderell  how  calily  thy  confidence  was  fliaken  ;  how 
'•  jirone  thou  wall  to  link  under  aHliition  ;  and,  upon  eve- 
*'  ry  new  trial,  to  doubt  his  power,  and  dillrult  his  pro- 
"  mile.  But,  now,  return  unto  thy  reft  ;  lay  afide  thy 
"  fears,  which  have  fo  unhappy  an  influence  both  on  thy 
"  progrcfs  and  comfort.  Commit  thy  ways  to  him,  and 
"  he  will  bring  thy  defires  to  pals." 

I  come  now,  in  the  lad  place,  to  make  fome  pratflical 
improvement  of  what  hath  been  laid  :  And,  lil,  PVom 
what  hath  been  laid,  you  may  obferve  one  great  branch  of 
the  lini'ulnefs  of  tlie  world  in  general;  forgetfulnefs  of 
Gocl ;  and  unthankfulnefs  for  his  mercies.  How  little 
fenfc  of  the  divine  goodnefs  is  in  the  hearts  of  men  :  how 
formal,  cold,  and  frozen  their  language  in  praife  ?  how 
languid  their  endjavots  to  'icxsii:.  him,  from  whole  indul- 
gent hand  every  blcdlng  they  enjoy  flows  ?  One  wonld 
tliink  that  here  might  be  ibme  hold  even  of  worUUv  men, 
who  liave  not  whc^Uy  extinguilhed  the  light  of  natural  con- 
fcience.  The  greatell  part  of  this  diiccurfe  has  been  di- 
rected to  thofe  of  another  charadler.  Sutler  me,  now,  to 
fpeak  a  little  immediately  to  them.  You  are  not  infenli- 
ble  to  worldly  comforts  ;  on  the  contrary,  you  lo\e  thcni 
too  ardently  ;  you  feek  them  too  eagerly  ;  you  indulge 
them  too  liberally.    Confidcr,  I  befeech  you,  who  it  is  that 

Vol.  II.  2  A 


190  The  Cbr  IS  nail's  Disposition  urukf- 

beftowed  them  ;  who  it  is,   that,  when  he  plcafclh,   can 
blafl  them  to  you,  or  withdraw  them  from  you*     O  the 
bliiidnefs  and  infatuation  of  mortal  men  !    How  palTm?; 
and  tfanfitory  are  all  created  comforts !  how  certain  and 
ipeedy  the   approach  of  death   and  judgment  !     Thhik 
what  return  you  liave  made  for  all  the  goodnefs  of  God 
toward  you  fi'om  the  v/omb  even  till  now.     And  let  me 
beg  every  hearer  to  recolleft  how  far  he  ftands  indebted  to 
God  ior  continued  health,  for  plentiful  provifion,  lor  re- 
markable deliverances,  for  early  inRruclion,  for  providen- 
tial warnings.     And  if  God,  by  his  Spirit,  has  raifed  con- 
viftions  in  your  minds,  or  earneilly  pleaded  with  you  in 
his  gofpel,  in  what  a  terrifying  light  will  all  this  defpifed 
goodnefs  appear,  when  you  come  to  the  brink  of  that  gulf 
which  feparates  you  from  an  eternal  world,  but,  above  all, 
when  you  appear  before  God  in  an  unem'jodied  Hate  ?    It 
19  my  duty  to  fet  this  before  you  with  plainnefs  and  fideli- 
ty ;   it  is  your  prefent  privilege,  that  you  hear  the  things 
that  belong  to  your  everlaiting  peace.     J^.Jay  God  himfclf 
write  them  upon  your  hearts,  and  confira'^n  you  to  flee, 
by  fiiith,  to  the  blood  of  iprinkling,  which  fpeaketh'bettcr 
things  than  the  blood  of  Abel. 

2dly,  Let  me  alfo  befeeth  every  fcrious  perfon,  who 
now  hears  me,  to  confider  how  far  he  halii  finned  agair.ii 
God  and  his  own  comfort,  by  forgetting  the  goodiiefs  01 
God,  both  in  common  and  fpecial  mercies.  It  is  Ibr- 
prifmg  to  think  how  little  we  make  confciciice  of  this  du- 
ty, and  e\'en  when  it  is  remembered  in  ^on.Q  nieafiirf:,  in 
what  a  lifelefs,  heaitlefs  manner  it  is  performed.  1  low 
little  proportion  is  there  bet\\"een  the  prayers  of  difucfs, 
and  the  fongs  of  deliverance.''  how  little  fcnfe  upoii  our 
minds  of  the  many  gracious  intcrpofitions  of  divirie  Provi^ 
dence  in  our  favor  ?  If  he  hath  invited  us  to  communion 
Vv'itli  himfelf ;  if  he  hath  brought  us  into  the  fecret  cham- 
bers, and  made  his  banner  over  us  to  be  love,  how  foon  is 
it  forgotten  t  how  little  deiire  of  its  continuance  ?  what 
faint  endeavors  to  recover  it  ?  how  little  concern  to  im- 
prove it  ?  Strange,  indeed,  that  fome,  after  tailing  of  the 
heavenly  manna,  fliould  feel  fo  unfeemly  a  longing  after 
the  fieih-pots  of  Egypt. 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  vccched.  19^ 

But  do  you  not  fin  as  much  agalna  intcrea  and  comfort, 
as  your  duly  ?     To  forget  a  mercy,  is  to  lofe  it ;  to  give 
thanks  for  it,  is  to  prcferve  and  increafe  .t      It  is  a  very 
In.on  millake  for  f.rious  pcrfons  to  Ht  brood:ng  over 
their  furrows,  and,   by  that  means,  at  once,  to  mcreale 
their  fuObrino;.,  and  to  prevent  thc.r  dehver:ince.     I  do 
not  know  a.norc  ufcful  dirccVion  to  mehmcholy  ordejeJ- 
ed  Clirillians,  than  by  a  deliberate  effort  of  mind    from  a 
fcnfe  of  d:,tv,  to  recoiled,  and  give  praife  to  God  foi   he 
many  mcrcU-s  which  he  hath  beHowed  on  them.^     Ihis 
may  be  a  happy  mean  of  filencing  their  comphunts    ok 
turning   the  lulc   of   their  affecTions,   and  givmg    hem 
"  beauty  for  allies,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning  and  the 

-  garment  of  praife  for  the  fpirit  of  hcavinefs.       Is  no 
thankfulnefs  the  improvement  of  mercies  ?  ^"^\lf  ^"^1 
God  faid,  to  him  that  -  hathlliaU  be  given    and  he  flial 
"have  more  abundantly ;   and  trom  him  that  hath  not 

-  fliall  be  taken   away  even  that  wnich  he  feemeth  to 


"  have. 


vllv    I  Hiall  conclude,  with  offering  the  three  following 
direaions  to  thofe  who  are  truly  fenhble  of  the  goodnefs 

""^  /°Be  circumfpea  and  watchful ;  though  a  thanlsful 
frame  of  fpirit  is  of  great  advantage,  Voth  for  your  fandi- 
fication  and  peace,  yet  it  is  not  out  of  the  re^cl^  of  tempta. 
tion  ;  let  it  not  produce  pride,  fecunty  or  fel  -fufficiency. 
It  is  an  excellent  diredion  given  by  the  Pialmilt  to  men 
n  high   ftation  and  profperity,  Pfal.  ii.  ii.  "  Serve    he 
-  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  v^■lth  trembling.        lake 
heed  alfo,  left  it  degenerate  into  carnal  and  lenlual  joy, 
making  you  reft  with  complacency  indie  creature,  inftead 
of  being  led  by  it  to  place  your  delight  and  happincfs  in 
the  unciiangeable  Creator. 

2.  Be  publick-fpiritcd  and  ufeful ;  if  the  Lord  hath 
dealt  bountifully  with  you,  commend  his  fervice,  and 
fpeak  to  his  praife.  This  was  often  the  refolution  and 
praaiceof  the  Pfalmift  David,  Pfal     ^vj;/? '  i  W 

I  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  wha 
"  he  hath  done  for  my  foul."     Pfal,  cxlv.  5;  6,  7-      I^v^l^ 
^'  fpeak  of  the  glorious  honor  of  thy  majefty,  and  ot  thy 


192  The  Christian's  Disposition  under 

"  wondrous  works ;  and  men  fhall  fpeak  of  the  might  of 
"  thy  terrible  afts ;  and  I  will  declare  thy  greatnels.  They 
"  lliall  abundantly  utter  the  memory  of  thy  great  goodnefs, 
"  and  Ihall  fing  of  thy  righteoufnefs."  Let  me  recommend 
this  particularly  to  ChrllVians  of  age  and  experience.  It 
gives  religion  a  very  difcou raging  afpect  to  younger  per- 
fons,  when  fuch  have  nothing  to  utter  but  complaints. 
On  the  contrary,  v/here  can  we  behold  a  more  edilying 
fight,  than  an  aged  perfon  ready  to  bear  teftimony  to  the 
peace  and  comfort  of  true  religion,  dying  by  necefiity  to 
the  pleafures  and  gaities  of  time,  but  living  above  them  on 
the  earnefl  of  his  future  inheritance ;  and,  inftead  of  a 
fretful  fpirit  arifmg  from,  the  frailties  of  a  tottering  frame, 
preferving  a  chearfulnefs  and  ferenity  of  mind,  in  the 
hope  of  a  bleiTed  refurreftion. — I  imagine  I  hear  fome  fay, 
nothing  is  more  true  ;  but,  alas  !  I  am  not  the  perfon  :  I 
fee  nothing  in  me,  but  caufes  of  complaint,  or  grounds 
of  fear.  I  believe  it  is  fo  with  all ;  but  you  have  milla- 
ken,  or  perverted  the  m.eaning  of  the  exhortation.  I  did 
not  advife  you  to  boaft  of  yourfelf,  but  to  fpeak  to  the  praife 
of  God.  I  believe  it  is  good,  in  mofl  cafes>  to  refiit  def- 
ponding  fears,  as  fo  many  temptations,  and  fend  them  a- 
way,  as  hinderers  of  your  duty,  without  a  reply.  Or, 
may  I  not  juftiy  fay,  admitting  the  truth  of  all  that  you 
can  advance  againft  yourfelves,  is  it  not  but  fo  much  the 
more  reafonable,  that  you  fliould  fay  with  Jacob,  Gen. 
xxxii.  10.  "I  am  not  u'orthy  of  the  leaft  of  all  the  mer- 
*•  cies,  and  of  all  the  truth,  that  thou  haft  fliewed  unto 
*'  thy  fervant." 

3.  Be  frequent  and  diligent  in  fecret  praj^er.  This  is 
the  way  to  preferve  your  watchfulnefs,  and  to  increafe 
your  ufefulncfs.  The  more  you  converfe  with  God  in  fe- 
cret, you  will  fpeak  with  the  more  judgment  and  profit  to 
men  in  publick.  This  is  the  way  to  difpofe  of  your  com- 
plaints. What  fignifies  repealing  them  to  men,  who 
may  defpife  you,  and,  at  beft,  can  only  pity  you,  when 
you  may  carry  them  to  God,  who  can  effedhially  help  3^ou  : 
Speak  as  much  ill  of  yourfelves  to  him  as  you  pleafe  ;  but 
be  fo  jull  as  to  fpeak  lionorably  of  him,  and  his  fervice, 
to  others  who  converfe  with  you. — Now,  may  the  Lord 


a  Sense  of  Mercies  received.  193 

fiipply  all  your  wants,  from  his  riches  in  glory,  by  Chrift 
Jefus.  May  he  give  you  the  fan6lified  ule  of  every  ftep 
of  his  providence,  whether  of  mercy  or  of  trial.  "  May 
*'  the  God  of  peace,  Heb.  xiii.  20,  21.  that  brought  a- 
"  gain  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jcfus,  that  great  Shep- 
*'  herd  of  the  flieep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlafting 
"  covenant,  make  you  pcrfcfSl  in  every  good  work,  to  do  hi^ 
"  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  wcll-pleafmg  in  his 
"  fight,  through  Jefus  Chrifl ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever 
*'  and  ever.     Amen." 


4 


[     '95     ] 

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COOO  oooo  oooo  COOJ  oooo  cooo  -JOO^  sAXW  900S  MMO  CO,M  M«0  UlOb  I  COOO  MXX>  OOOO  OCCO  OCOO  CCOJ  cooo  oooo  oooo  0000  «e6j  CCQ% 

A  VIEW  OF  THE  GLORY  of  GOD  HUMBLING 

TO    THE    SOUL. 


SERMON, 


Job  xlii.  5,  6. 

/  /jd'uc  bdai'd  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  but  no^> 
tiiine  eye  seetb  thee.  Wherefore  I  abhor  myself  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes, 

MY  brethren,  we  can  have  no  experimental  know* 
ledge ;  and,  indeed,  we  have  not  much  difHn€l 
knowledge  at  all  of  the  nature  of  religion.,  as  it  takes 
place  among  angels,  and  otiier  intelligent  beings,  who 
have  kept  their  firlt  eflate,  and  never  were  polluted  by 
fm.  From  fome  things,  however,  recorded  in  fcripture, 
We  have  reafon  to  believe  that  they  appear  before  God 
with  the  greatell  low  linefs  and  felf-abafenient,  that  they 
are  at  all  times  deeply  penetrated  with  a  fenfe  of  the  infi- 
nite  difproportion  between  themfelvcs,  as  derived,  depen- 
dent, limited,  imperfecl  beings,  and  the  eternal,  immu- 
table, omnipotent  Jehovah.  Thus  in  the  vifion  of  Ilaiah^ 
in  the  fixth  chapter  of  that  book,  ver.  i,  2,  3.  '•'■  In  the 
*■'-  year  that  King  Uzziah  died,  I  faw  the  Lord  fitting  upon 
*'  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  tlie 
*'  temple.  Above  it  flood  the  fera plums ;  each  one  had 
"  fix  wings  ;  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  with 
*'  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  widi  twain  he  did  Ay. 
*'  And  one  cried  unto  another,  and  faid,  Holy,  holy,  holy. 


i()6  A  Fieiv  of  the  Glory  of  God 

"  is  the  Lord  of  Hofts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glo- 
"  ly."  But  if  this  is  the  cafe  with  thefe  exalte<l  and  hap- 
py fpirits,  how  much  more  muft  a  deep  humiliation  of 
mind  be  neceflary  to  us,  who,  by  fin,  have  rendered  our- 
felves  the  juft  objeds  of  divine  wrath,  and  M'hofe  hope 
of  falvation  is  founded  only  on  the  riches  of  divine  grace  ? 
We  ought  never  to  forget,  that  every  inllance  of  the  fa- 
vor of  God  to  man,  is  not  to  be  confidered  as  the  ex- 
crcife  of  goodnefs  to  the  worthy,  nay,  not  merely  as 
bounty  to  the  needy,  or  help  to  the  miferable,  but  mercy 
to  the  guilty. 

For  this  rcafon,  as  repentance  is  neceflary  to  every  fin- 
ner,  in  order  to  his  reconciliation  with  God,  fo  thofe 
Chriflians  preferve  the  jufleft  viev/s  of  their  prefent  ftate 
and  character,  as  well  as  the  foundation  of  their  hope, 
who  frequently  renew  this  falutary  exercife.  I  cannot  help 
Hiying  further,  that  diofe  make  the  wifeil  provifion  for  the 
prefervation  of  their  inward  peace,  who  frequently  water 
that  tender  plant  with  the  tears  of  penitential  forrow. 
To  aflin:  you  in  this  exercife,  and  to  point  out  the  proper 
p;rounds  of  it,  T  have  chofen  to  infill  a  little  on  thefe  words, 
in  which  you  fee  the  effeft  which  a  difcovery  of  the  glory 
and  majefty  of  God  had  upon  his  fervant  Job  :  I  haiie 
heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear  ;  but  noiv  mine 
eye  secth  thee.  JVhevefore  I  abhor  myself  and  repent  in 
dust  and  ashes. 

It  is  not  neceflary  to  my  prefent  purpofe,  to  enter  far* 
into. the  difpute  between  Job  and  his  friends,  alti^.ough,  no 
doubt,  the  words  of  the  text  have  an  evident  relation  to  it. 
TliC  controverfy  feems  plainly  to  have  turned  upon  this 
point.  His  friends  finding  him  ia  deep  diltrefs,  under 
the  mofl:  com})Iicated  aflliftlon,  would  needs  have  it,  that 
no  good  man  could  be  fo  frowned  upon  by  a  righteous 
God  ;  and  therefore,  that  his  former  profeflion  mull  have 
been  hypocritical  and  falfe.  This  is  evident  from  the 
manner  in  which  Eliphaz  opens  the  charge  againft  him, 
chap.  iv.  6,  7,  8,  9.  "  Is  not  this  thy  fear,  thy  confidence, 
"  thy  hope,  and  the  uprightnefs  of  thy  ways  ?  Eemember, 
"  i  pray  thee,  who  ever  periflied,  being  innocent  ?  or 
"  where  were  the  righteous  cut  oil?  Even  asi  have  feen, 


humbling  to  the  Soul.  ic^j 

**  they  that  plow  iniquity,  and  fow  wickednefs,  reap  the 
"  lame.  By  the  blaft  of  God  they  perifli,  and  by  the 
**  breath  of  his  noRrils  are  they  confunied."  In  oppofi- 
tion  to  this,  Job  affcrts  and  maintains  his  integrity  in  ge- 
neral, and  withal,  affirms  their  opinion  to  be  falfe,  for 
that  God,  in  his  jull  and  fovercign  providence,  brings  af- 
fliction both  on  the  righteous  and  the  wicked.  That  this 
is  the  propofition  which  he  all  along  endeavors  to  fupport, 
is  plain,  as  from  many  other  pallagcs,  fo  particularly  from 
chap  ix.  22.  "  This  is  one  thing,  therefore  I  faid  it,  he 
*•'  deftroyeth  the  perfedt,  and  the  wicked." 

Thus  flood  the  matter,  in  difpute,  between  Job  and  his 
friends,  in  which,  though  that  good  man  had  fupported 
the  truth,  on  the  fubjedt  of  divine  Providence  ;  yet,  in  the 
heat  of  the  debate,  and  the  anguifli  of  his  own  fuflerings, 
he  had  let  fidl  fome  expreffions,  not  only  of  impatience, 
but  of  difrefpeft  to  the  conduCl  of  the  Lord  his  Maker. 
For  thefe  he  was  firfl:  reproved  by  Elihu,  and  afterwards, 
with  unfpeakable  force  and  majefty,  by  God  himfelf,  who 
aflerts  the  fovereignty  of  his  power,  and  the  righteoufnefs 
of  his  providence.  On  this  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  di- 
vine perfection,  the  fufferer  was  deeply  humbled,  and  cx- 
prelfes  a  fenfe  of  his  own  vilcnefs  and  folly,  in  the  4th 
and  5th  verfes  of  the  fortieth  chapter  :  "  Behold,  I  am 
"  vile,  what  fhall  I  anfwer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand 
*'  upon  my  mouth.  Once  have  I  fpoken,  but  I  will  not 
"  anfwer ;  yea,  twice,  but  I  will  proceed  no  further.'* 
And,  again,  in  the  beginning  of  the  forty-fecond  chapter, 
concluding  with  the  words  of  the  text. 

It  is  not  improbable,  from  the  beginning  of  the  thirty- 
eighth  chapter,  that  it  picafed  God  to  give  Job  fome  vifible 
reprefentation  of  his  glory  and  omnipotence.  This  was 
not  unufual,  in  ancient  times,  before  the  canon  of  the 
fcripture  was  clofed.  But,  no  doubt,  the  difcovery  which 
chiefly  alTeCted  him  was  inward  and  fpiritual,  carrying 
home,  widiirrefiilible  force,  the  great  truths  which  we  flill 
find  recorded  in  a  manner  inimitably  noble  and  fubllme. 
J  have  heard  of  thee,  fays  he,  l>y  the  hearing  of  the  car  ; 
but  now  mine  eye  sceth  thee.  This  implies,  that,  as  feeing 
gives  a  more  diflinCt,  full,  and  flitistying  knowledge  of 

Vol.  II.  2  B 


198  A  Vt^ji  of  the  Glory  of  God 

any  thing,  than  hearing  of  it  only  by  the  report  of  others, 
the  impreffions  which  he  then  had  of  the  majefty  and 
glory  of  God,  were  far  flronger  than  any  he  had  ever  felt 
before. — Therefore^  fays  he,  I  abhor  myself.  It  filled  him 
with  feif-lothing  and  abhorrence. — A7id  I  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes.  This  is  either,  in  general,  a  flrong  expreffion 
of  deep  penitence  and  forrow,  of  which  duft  and  aflies 
were  anciently  the  figns  ;  or,  perhaps,  it  has  a  particular 
reference  to  his  prefent  miferable  and  afflidled  flate,  de- 
fcribed  in  chap.  ii.  8.  "  And  he  took  him  a  potfherd  to 
"  fcrape  himfelf  withal ;  and  he  fat  down  among  the. 
"  afhes."  As  if  he  had  faid.  Lord,  I  am  deeply  fenfible 
of  the  evil  of  every  rafh  word,  of  every  rebellious  thought. 
I  confefs,  that  thou  haft  afflicted  me  in  truth  and  faithful- 
nefs  ;  and  that,  in  this  low  and  defolate  condition,  it  be- 
comes me  to  lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth,  and  to  repent 
of  that  guilt  which  would  have  fully  juftified  thy  provi- 
dence in  a  ftill  heavier  ftroke. 

The  words  thus  explained,  prefent  to  us  this  general 
and  moft  important  truth,  that  a  difcovery  of  the  perfec- 
tion, glory,  and  majefty  of  God,  has  a  powerful  influence 
in  leading  us  to  repentance  ;  and  that  the  clearer  this  dif- 
covery is,  the  more  fmcere  will  be  our  repentance,  and 
the  deeper  our  humiliation.  In  difcourfmg  further  on 
this  fubjedl,  at  prefent,  I  propofe,  only,  through  divine 
afliftance, 

I.  To  makfe  fome  obfervations,  at  once  to  illuftrate  and 
confirm  the  propofition  above  laid  down,  as  to  the  effeft 
of  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God.     And,  in  the 

II.  And  laft  place,  to  make  fome  practical  improve- 
ment of  what  lliall  be  faid. 

I.  Then,  I  am  to  make  fome  obfervations,  at  once  to 
explain  and  confirm  the  propofition  juft  now  laid  down,  as 
to  the  efFe6t  of  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God.  But, 
before  we  enter  on  what  is  principally  intended,  I  mull 
intreat  your  attention  to  the  following  preliminary  re- 
marks : 


humbling  to  the  Swl.  199 

1.  That  this  tnith  will  hold  equally  certain  In  whate 
ver  way  the  difcovery  is  made.  It  may  pleafe  God  to  ma- 
nifeft  himfelf  to  his  people  in  very  different  ways.  Some- 
times it  may  be  in  a  way  wholly,  or  in  part,  miraculous,  as 
in  the  cafe  of  Job,  Ifaiah,  and  fome  others  mentioned  in 
fcripture  ;  fometimes  by  affedling  difpenfations  of  provi- 
dence ;  fometimes  by  his  ordinances,  or  inflituted  M'or- 
Ihip,  accompanied  with  the  operation  of  his  Spirit ;  and 
fometimes  by  this  laft  alone,  without  the  help  or  acceffion 
of  any  outward  mean. 

2.  I  hope  it  will  not  bethought  improper,  that,  in  rea- 
foning  on  the  influence  of  a  difcover}'  of  the  glory  of  God, 
I  fometimes  bring  in  view  the  additional  manlfeftations 
given  us  in  the  gofpel  of  the  divine  glory.  This,  to  be 
lure,  could  not  be  fuppofed  to  make  a  part  of  what  was 
difcovered  to  Job,  to  whom  that  myflery,  hid  from  ages 
and  generations,  and  onl}^  opened  in  the  fulnefs  of  time, 
was  very  obfcurely,  if  at  all  known.  But  the  example, 
afforded  us  in  the  text,  leads  us  to  a  general  truth  ;  in  the  il- 
lurtration  and  application  of  which,  we  may  make  ufe  of 
all  that  is  known  to  us  of  the  nature  and  government  of 
God.     The 

3.  And  principal  remark  is,  that,  when  I  fpeak  of  the 
influence  of  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  I  mean  an 
internal  and  fpiritual  difcovery,  and  not  fuch  a  knowledge 
as  is  merely  fpeculative,  and  refls  in  the  underftanding, 
without  defcending  into  the  heart.  There  is  a  common 
diftindtion  to  be  met  with  in  almoft  every  practical  wri- 
ter, between  knowledge  merely  fpeculative,  that  fwims 
in  the  head,  and  pra6lical  or  faving  knowledge,  that 
dwells  in  and  governs  the  heart.  That  there  is  fuch  a 
diftindtion  in  fail,  experience  obliges  every  man  to  con- 
fefs  :  but  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  fpeak  in  a  clear  and 
precife  manner  upon  it ;  to  tell  wherein  it  confifls  ;  or  to 
ihow  how  thefe  two  forts  of  knowledge  differ  otherwife, 
than  by  their  effects.  Yet  even  to  point  out  their  radical 
diff^jrence,  feems  neceffary  to  me,  who  propofe  to  fliow 
the  happy  influence  and  powerful  efficacy  of  this  know- 
ledge, when  it  is  of  the  right  kind. 


200  A  VieiD  of  the  Glory  of  God 

For  this  piirpofe,  my  brethren,  be  pleafed  to  obfervc, 
that  a  barren  fpeculative  knowledge  of  God,  is  that  which 
fixes  chiefly  on  his  natural  perfeftions  ;  or,  if  it  be  fup- 
pofed  to  take  in  fuch  as  are  moral,  it  is  only  to  reafon  upon 
them  as  an  objedl  of  fcience ;  but  the  true  knowledge  of 
God,  is  an  inward  and  fpiritual  difcovery  of  the  amiable- 
nefs  and  excellence  of  his  moral  perfections ;  or,  to 
fpeak  more  in  the  fcripture  Ityle,  to  perceive  that  he  is 
indeed  "  glorious  in  his  holinefs.  Holy,  holv,  holy  is 
*'.  the  Lord  of  hofts."  This  is  the  langua2;e  of  celellial 
adoration,  of  thofe  who  "  fee  him  as  he  is,  and  know 
"  even  as  they  are  known."  The  fame,  in  fome  mea- 
fure,  is  the  view  given  to  every  real  child  of  God  on  earth, 
and,  alone,  ferves  to  diflinguifh  his  children  of  every  rank, 
and  every  degree  of  capacity,  from  others  of  an  oppofite 
character.  Let  me  fuppofe  a  poor  Chriftian,  weak  in 
underftanding,  and  unaffifled  by  education,  who  is  v/it- 
nefs  to  any  extraordinary  a6t  of  divine  power  :  for  exam- 
ple, a  thunder  fiorm,  feeming  to  rend  the  heavens  afun- 
der,  and  either  laying  fome  ancient  and  venerable  pile  in 
allies,  or,  perhaps,  ftriking  fome  perfons  to  death,  in  a 
manner  fwifter  than  thought ;  he  is  immediately  affeCted 
with  a  fenfa  of  the  fovereignty  of  the  Lord  of  nature,  the 
holinefs  of  every  part  of  his  will,  the  duty  of  abfolute 
fubjeClion  in  the  creature,  and  the  fmfulnefs  of  every,  re- 
bellious thought.  But,  above  all,  he  is  llruck  with  a  fenfe 
of  the  malignity  of  fin,  which  has  introduced  fo  many 
natural  evils,  and,  as  it  were,  armed  the  incenfed  ele- 
ments in  tiieir  Maker's  caufe.  Such  a  perfon,  though  he 
can  exprefs  his  thoughts  but  very  poorly,  nay,  though  he 
can  hardly  fpeak  to  others  with  coherence  or  confiilency, 
fees  much  more  of  God,  than  he  who  can  reafon  on  the 
planetary  fyflem  ;  who  can  trace  the  beauty,  variety,  and 
extent  of  the  Creator's  Vv^orks,  and  thence  infer  the  ne- 
ceflity  of  a  felf-exifcent,  almighty,  and  intelligent  firfl 
caufe.  The  one  may  expatiate  on  the  wonderful  works, 
ortlie  wife  purpofcs,  of  the  Author  of  nature  ;  the  other 
feels  and  coiifelies  him  to  be  God.  ^Alas!  my  brethren, 
we  fee  too  often,  that  knowledge  and  holinefs  in  us,  do 
not  bear  proportion  one  to  another.     "VVe  fee  every  day 


humbling  to  the  Soul.  201 

examples  of  the  greateft  intellectual  abilities,  the  noblcft 
natural  talents,  being  abufed  to  the  woril  of  purpofes  ; 
for  fuch  I  mail  always  reckon,  their  ferving  no  higher  end 
than  to  adorn  and  fet  off  the  jJofTeffor,  or  burn  incenfe  to 
human  vanity. — By  a  difcovery,  then,  of  the  perfedions, 
majeity,  and  glory  of  God,  I  underlland  the  glory  of  liis 
infinite  holinefs  ;  that  holinefs  which  is  infeparable  fron\ 
his  nature,  wliich  Ihines  in  all  his  works,  and  in  all  his 
ways. 

Thefe  obfervations  being  premifed,  let  us  now  confider 
what  influence  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God  hath  in  pro- 
ducing repentance,  and  increafing  humility.     And,  in  the 

ill  Place,  It  hath  this  effcdt,  as  it  tends  to  convince 
us  of  fin,  and  particularly,  to  bring  to  light  thefe  innumer- 
able evils,  which  a  deceitful  heart  often,  in  a  great  mea- 
fure,  hides  from  its  own  view.  There  is,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo, 
a  light  and  glory  in  the  prefence  of  God,  which  difcovcrs 
and  expofes  the  works  of  darknefs.  That  a  view  of  the 
divine  Majefty  has  a  flrong  tendency  to  give  us  a  deep 
fenfe  of  our  own  fuifulnefs,  is  plain  from  many  fcripture 
examples.  That  of  Job,  in  our  text,  is  one  dirediy  in 
point.  Another  you  have  in  Ifaiah,  ch.  vi.  5.  where  the 
reflection  of  the  prophet,  on  a  view  of  the  divine  glory,  is, 
"  Wo  is  me  !  for  I  am  undone ;  becaufe  I  am  a  man  of 
"  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midft  of  a  people  of  un- 
"  clean  lips  :  for  mine  eyes  have  ^Q^n  the  King,  the  Lord 
"  of  holts."  Another  initance  you  may  fee  in  the  apollle 
John,  who  upon  a  view  of  the  Redeemer  in  h's  glory,  was, 
in  a  manner,  deprived  of  life,  through  exceflive  fear. 
Rev.  i.  17.  "  And  when  I  faw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as 
"  dead."  The  only  other  inflance  I  mention  is  of  the 
apollle  Peter,  wlio,  on  the  unexpected  appearance,  or  ra- 
ther from  a  view  of  the  pov/er  of  Chrifl,  manifelled  in  a 
miracle,  was  immediately  llruck  with  a  fenfe  of  guilt,  Luke 
V.  8.  "  When  Simon  Peter  faw  it,  he  fell  down  at  Jefus 
''  knees,  faying,  depart  from  me,  for  1  am  a  finful  man, 
"  O  Lord." 

It  is  not  difficult  to  explain  how  a  view  of  the  divine 
holinefs  tends  to  difcover  and  to  aiFc6t  us  with  a  fenfe  of 
our  finfulnefs.     Nothing  makes   any  quality   appear  fo 


2a2  A  View  of  the  Glory  of  God 

lenfibly  as  a  coraparifon  with  its  oppofite.  Tlie  applica- 
tion .of  a  ftraight  nile  marks  the  obliquity  of  a  crooked 
line  -y  nay,  it  marks  even  the  lead  degree  of  variation, 
which  by  a  lefs  accurate  trial  wouki  not  have  been  dif- 
covered.  Any  piece  of  deformity  appears  moi'e  hideous 
and  Ihocking  v/hen  compared  with  perfect  beauty.  For 
the  fam.e  reafon,  a  clear  viev/  of  the  holinefs  of  God,  and 
a.  fenfe  of  his  intimate  prefence  with  us,  tends  to  bring 
fin  to  remembrance,  as  well  as  to  cover  us  with  confufion 
jE)r  thofe  fins,  which  before  we  were  able  to  juftify,  palliate, 
or  conceal.  We  are  exprefsly  aiFared  that  our  iirll  pa- 
rents immediately  after  eating  the  forbidding  fruit  were 
fenfible  of  their  guilt,  and  I  cannot  think  they  were  wholly 
jnfenfible  of  the  omnifcience  and  omniprefence  of  God. 
Yet  we  find  that  their  fear  greatly  increafed  (doubtlefs 
&om  a  fenfe  of  fin)  when  they  heard  God's  voice  in  the 
garden,  Gen.  iii.  8.  "  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the 
*■'•  Lord  God  walking  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day  : 
"  and  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  themfelves  from  the  pre- 
*''■  fence  of  the  Lord  God  amongil  the  trees  of  the  garden." 
You  may  take  a  very  plain  and  fimple  iUuftration  of 
this  from  daily  experience.  Are  there  not  fome  perfons 
©f  look  principles  and  irregulai^  practice,  who,  when  by 
themfelves,  or  in  fociety  like  themfelves,  juftify  many  of 
their  fins,  and  to  all  appearance,  commit  them  without  re- 
morfe,  as  innocent,  if  not  laudable  ?  But  let  the  fame  per- 
fons be  carried  into  fober  company,  efpecially  into  the 
prefence  of  any  perfon  eminent  for  piety  and  gravity,  and 
they  will  he  reltrained  and  afliamed,  and  not  able  to  open 
their  mouths  in  defence  of  their  licentious  carriage.  The 
mere  prefence  of  fuch  a  perfon  carries  infi:ant  irrefifiible 
convi<5lion  v.dth  it,  by  forcing  a  comparifon  between  piety 
and  profanity  ;  that  is  to  fay,  good  and  evil,  light  and 
darknefs.  So  certain  a  truth  is  this,  that  one  of  the  an- 
cient heathen  authors  gives  it  as  a  rule  for  moral  conduct, 
*'  that  men  fliould  always  imagine  themfelves  in  the  pre- 
•■'  fence  of  fuch  a  man  as  Cato,  renowned  for  gravity  and 
"  virtue/'  But  if  the  fiincied  prefence  of  a  mortal,  in. 
whom  fome  faint  rays,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  pf  the  divine 
Image  appear  by  reflection,  has  fo  much  induencej  haw 


humhUng  to  the  Soul.  103 

nnucli  greater  would  be  the  effect  of  a  firm  pcrfuafion  of 
the  real  pre  fence  of  a  holy  God,  "  who  is  of  purer  eyes 
"  than  to  behold  iniquity  ?"  What  is  it  elfe  than  this  that 
•makes  wicked  men  flee  the  focvety  of  the  good  as  pain- 
ful, and  flum  the  thoughts  of  God  as  intolerable ;  lb  that 
it  is  the  fcripture  charafter  of  fuch,  tiiat  they  fay  unto  their 
Maker,  pratlically,  "  Depart  from  us,  for  we  defire  not 
*'  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways.'* 

2.  A  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God  fervcs  to  point  out 
the  evil  of  fin,  the  aggravations  of  particular  fins,  and  to 
take  away  the  excufes  of  the  finner.  Let  us  remember 
what  I  obfexved  in  a  preceding  part  of  this  difcourfe,  that 
it  muft  be  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  the  divine  holinefs; 
not  only  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and  underRanding 
what  he  is,  but  a,  view  of  his  infinite  glory  and  beauty  in 
being  fuch.  It  muft  necellarily  fet  the  evil  of  fin  in  the 
cleareft  light,  diat  all  fin,  as  fuch,  ftrikes  immediately  at 
the  very  being  and  perfe6lions  of  God.  When  the  law 
of  God  fhews  us  our  fins,  we  may  be  ready  to  complain  of 
its  ftriftnefs  and  feverity,  and  wifii  to  llip  our  necks  from 
under  the  yoke.  But  when  we  fee  that  tiie  law  could  not 
be  otherwife  than  it  is,  without  being  faulty ;  m' hen  we  fee 
that  it  is  nodiing  elfe  but  a  fair  tranfcript  of  the  moral  per- 
feftions  of  God ;  and  when  we  look  up  to  the  great  and 
bright  original,  it  muft  convince  us  that  all  fin  is  a  dire6l 
oppofition  to  the  nature,  as  well  as  a  rebellion  againft  the 
will  of  God,  If  he  is  infinitely  perfe(Jt  and  glorious,  fin 
muft  be  infinitely  hateful  and  abominable.  No  man  can 
plead  for  fin,  in  any  inftance  or  in  any  degree,  but  he  muft 
blafpheme  the  nature  and  i^erfedions  of  God,  to  which  it 
Hands  in  oppofition. 

All  men,  indeed,  by  nature,  are  enemies  to  God  Iiim- 
felf,  in  their  minds,  by  wicked  works ;  and  they  hate  his 
law,  becaufe  it  is  fpiritual  and  pure.  There  are  alfo  too 
many  in  this  age,  who  have  very  relaxed  principles  as  to 
the  extent  and  obligation  of  the  lav;,  and,  of  confequence, 
very  flight  thoughts  of  the  evil  of  fin.  But  a  view  of  the 
glory  of  God  rectifies,  at  once,  thefe  fatal  errors,  and  car- 
ries home  fuch  conviclion  of  the  rights  of  the  Creator,  the 
obligation  and  fubjedion  of  the  creature,  and  tl:e  beauty 


204  A  Fiew  of  the  Glory  of  God 

and  excellence  of  that  image  which  was  ftained  by  fm,  as 
forces  us  to  adopt  the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghofl ;  "  How 
*'  evil  and  how  bitter  a  thing  is  it  to  depart  from  the  living 
*'  God  !"  God  grant  that  there  may  be  many  in  this  af- 
fembly,  who  underftand  and  feel  the  force  of  this  truth  ! 
There  is  need,  my  brethren,  to  attend  to  it ;  for  all  con- 
victions of  fm,  which  do  not  proceed  from  this  fource,  or 
do  not  neceffarily  include  this  view,  whatever  pain  or  ter- 
ror they  may  occafion,  will  prove  empty  and  fruitlcfs  at 
laft.  'fhough  there  may  be  a  flavilh  fear  of  the  power  of 
God,  unlefs  there  be  a  view  of  the  infinite  evil  of  fm,  there 
cannot  be  any  lading  and  faving  change. 

The  fame  view  alfo  points  out  the  aggravation  of  par- 
ticular fins.  The  more  clearly  we  underftand  the  nature 
of  God,  our  relation  to,  and  dependence  upon  him,  the 
more  will  we  perceive  the  aggravation  of  every  fin  which 
burlts  afunder  thefe  bonds.  A  view  of  the  glory  of  God 
muft  either  be  general,  or  particular  ;  or,  perhaps,  for  the 
moft  part,  there  is  a  mixture  of  both.  My  meaning  is, 
that  when  there  is  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God  in  gene- 
ral, there  is  often,  at  the  fame  time,  a  peculiar  and  ftriking 
difplay  of  ibme  one  attribute,  of  power,  wiidom,  juftice,  or 
mercy.  Now  how  ftrongly  does  this  imprefs  upon  the 
mind,  a  fenfe  of  the  evil  of  thofe  fins  which  ftrike  direftly 
againil  that  perfection  which  happens  to  be  fet  in  the 
flrongeft  point  of  view  ?  When  any  difplay  is  given  of 
the  omnilcience  of  God,  how  does  it  make  us  fenfible  of 
the  impiety  and  folly  of  fecret  fins  ?  Dan.  ii.  47.  "  The 
"  King  anfwered  unto  Daniel,  and  faid.  Of  a  truth  it  is, 
"•  that  your  God  is  a  God  of  gods,  and  a  Lord  of  kings, 
''  and  a  revealer  of  fecrets,  feeing  thou  couldefi  reveal  this 
"  fecret."  When  the  powder  of  God  is  made  manifefl:, 
how  does  it  aggravate  the  guilt  of  prefumption  and  confi- 
tlence  ?  Ifa.  xlv.  9.  "  Wo  unto  him  that  flriveth  with  his 
"•  Maker  :  let  the  potflierd  ftrive  with  the  potflierds  of  the 
"  eardi.  Shall  the  clay  fay  to  him  that  faihioneth  it,  what 
"  makeft  thou  1  or  thy  work,  lie  hath  no  hands  ? 

When  the  wifdom  of  God  is  difplayed,  doth  not  then 
all  diftruft  appear  highly  criminal  ?  Ought  we  not  to  fay 
with  the  Pfalmill,  Pfal.  xxvii.  i.  ''•  The  Lord.is  my  light, 


bumbUng  to  the  Sou!.  205 

"  and  my  falvation,  whom  lliall  I  fear  ?  the  Lord  is  the 
"  i!rength  of  my  life,  of  whom  Ihall  I  be  afraid  r"     When 
we  have  a  view  of  our  ablbhite  dependence  upon,  and  un- 
fpeakablc  obligations  to  the   divine  bounty,  what  a  i'enle 
does  this  give'iis  of  the  fin  of  unthankfulnefs,  and  forget- 
fulnefs  of  God  ?  Of  how  many  unhai)py  fcnfualifls  may 
this  complaint  be  made  ?  Ifa.  i.  2,  3.  ''  Hear,  O  heavens, 
*'  and  give  ear,  O  earth  ;   for  the  Lord  hath  fpoken,  I  liave 
"  noui-iflied  and  brouglit  up  children,  and  they  have  re- 
"  belled  agalnll:  me.     The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and 
*'  the  afs  his  mafler'c  crib  :  but  Ifrael  doth  not  know,  my 
*'  people  doth  not  confider."     Without  any  further  enu- 
meration, it  will  appear  undeniable,  that  the  clearer  the 
difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  the  more  mull  not  only  the 
evil  of  fin  in  general  appear,  but  every  particular  crime 
mufl:  be  loaded  with  new  aggravations.     I  cannot  help 
mentioning  here,  In  a  few  words,  that  this  is  the  immedi- 
ate efiea  of  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  as  it  fhincs 
in  Jefus  Chrift.     The  unmerited,  unparalleled  love,  ma^ 
nifefted  to  fmners  in  the  gofpel,  greatly  aggravates  their 
ingratitude  and  rebellion.     And  the  more  that^  believers 
reflect  upon  their  own  conduct ;  and  compare  it  Vv^ith  the 
grace  and  condefcenfion  of  their  Redeemer,   the   more 
they  mult  abbor  thcmsekes,  a?id  repent  in  dust  and  asLcs. 
1  only  add,  on  this  head,  that  a  difcovery  of  the  glory 
of  God  takes  away  the  excufes  of  the  fumer.     How  prone 
men  are  to  excufe  and  pal'iate  their  fins,  we  all  know  by 
experience.     It  is  a  light  {tnk  of  the  evil  of  fm,  that  leads 
'MS  to  commit  it ;  and  there  is  no  rcafon  to  be  furprifcd,  if 
this,  joined  with  felf-intercll,  makes  us  ingenious  inform- 
ing an  apology  for  it  after  the  commiffion.     Hence  often 
arifc  hard  thoughts  of  the  threatenin-s  of  God  againil  fm, 
as  levere.     Hence  alfo  unbelieving  thoughts,  which  will 
not  admit,  that  ever  he  will  fulfil  his  word,  or  execute^ 
the  threatened  judgment.     But  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of 
God,  particularly  of  his  infinite  holinds,  by  fliewing  the 
e\  il  of  fm  in  its'  proper  colours,  flops  every  mouth,  drags 
the  fmner  into  the  pretence  of  his  Judaic,  and  fuips  the 
p^uilty  criminal  of  every  vain  plea.     We  fee  plainly,  in 
the  cafe  of  Job,  that  he  had  fuch  a  view  of  the  powei*,  dt->« 
Vol.  II.  2  C 


2o6  A  View  oftJj€  Glory  of  God 

minion,  and  abfolute  fovereignty  of  God,  as  put  him  en- 
tirely to  filence,  and  convinced  him,  that  there  was  no 
room  for  contending  ;  no  place  for  comparifon  between 
fo  unequal  (muft  I  call  them)  parties,  God  and  man,  Job 
xl.  4.  "  Behold  I  am  vile  ;  what  fliail  I  anfwer  thee  ?  I 
"  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth." 

This  right  of  fovereignty  in  God,  and  the  duty  of  ab- 
folute, immediate,  unconditional  fubjeftion  in  the  crea- 
ture, I  find  plainly  and  frequently  ejflablilhed  in  fcripture. 
It  is,  indeed,  entirely  in  this  Ilyle,  which  may  well  be 
called  the  ilyle  of  the  King  of  kings,  that  God  fpeaks  to 
Job  in  the  four  chapters  preceding  that  where  my  text 
lies.  Though  he  is  brought  in  fpeaklng,  to  refolve  a  dif- 
ficulty in  providence  ;  yet,  you  may  obferve,  he  does  not 
fay  one  word  as  to  the  juflice  of  his  proceeding ;  but,  un- 
der man}'-  of  the  ftrongell  images,  fets  forth  his  irrefiftible 
power,  chap,  xxxviii.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  "  Who  is  this  that 
"  darkeneth  counfel  by  words  without  knowledge  ?  Gird 
*'  up  now  thy  loins  like  a  man  ;  for  I  will  demand  of  thee, 
"  and  anfwer  thou  me.  Where  wafl  thou  when  I  laid 
*'  the  foundations  of  the  earth  ?  Declare,  if  thou  hall 
"  underftanding.  Who  hath  laid  the  meafures  thereof, 
"  if  thou  knowefl  ?  or  who  hath  flretched  the  line  upon 
"  it  ?  Whereupon  are  the  foundations  thereof  faftened  ? 
"  or  who  laid  the  corner  flone  thereof.'"'  And,  again, 
chap,  xk  8,  9,  10,  II.  ''  Wilt  thou  alfo  difannul  my 
*'  judgment  ?  wilt  thou  condemn  me,  that  thou  mayefl  be 
''  righteous  ?  Haft  thou  an  arm  like  God  ?  or  canll  thou 
"  thunder  with  a  voice  like  him  ?  Deck  thyfelf  now  with 
"  majefty  and  excellency,  and  array  thyfelf  with  glory 
"  and  beauty.  Caft  abroad  the  rage  of  thy  wrath :  and 
"  behold  every  one  that  is  proud,  and  abafe  him.'* 

The  fovereignty  of  God,  is  what,  of  all  things  elfe,  iln- 
ners,  while  they  continue  in  that  charaftcr,  are  leall  ca- 
pable of  underftanding,  and  leaft  willing  to  fubmit  to. 
This  is  not  to  be  v/ondered  at,  becaufe  the  very  nature  of 
fin  confifts  in  cafting  off  our  allegiance,  and,  as  far  as  in 
us  lies,  rejecting  the  authority  of  God.  But,  my  brethren, 
a  real  difcovery  of  his  glory,  at  once,  raifes  him  to  the 
throne,  and  humbles  us  at  his  footftcol,  and  is,  as  if  we 


bumbling  to  the  Soul.  207 

heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  addrelFcd  to  us  in  the  follow- 
ing  ftriking  words,  Ifa.  ii.  10,  11.  '^  Enter  into  the 
"  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  didl,  for  fear  of  the  Lord, 
"  and  for  the  glory  of  his  majelly.  'I'he  lofty  looks  of 
"  man  fliall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughtinefs  of  men  ihall 
"  be  bowed  down  ;  and  the  Lord  alone  fliall  be  exalted  in 
"  that  day."  One  who  hath  lb  known  God,  will  perceive, 
that  there  can  be  no  more  proper  reply  to  objedlions,  on 
the  part  of  man,  to  the  divine  procedure,  than  that  of  the 
apolrle  Paul,  Rom.  ix.  20.  "  Nay,  but,  O  man,  who 
*'  art  thou  that  replied  againft  God  ?" 

3.  A  difcoveiy  of  the  glory  of  God  fei-\'es  to  point  out 
the  danger  of  iin.     It  is  die  hope  of  impunity,  that  em- 
boldens the  fmner  to  tranfgrefs,  and  to  perlill  in  his  tranf- 
greflions.     For  this  reafon,  we  find  the  fcriptures,  in  ge- 
neral, attributing  the  impenitence  of  fumers  to  thefe  two 
great  fourccs,  ignorance  and  unbelief,  Pful.  xiv.  i.  "  Tlie 
"  fool  hath  li\id  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God."  And,  in 
ver.   4.      "  Have  all  tlie  v/orkers  of  iniquity  no  know- 
"  ledge  ?"  that  is  to  fay,  fuch  bold  rebellion  in  their  con- 
du£l  plainly  difcovers  the  atheifm  of  their  hearts.     To  the 
Hime  purpofe,  Plal.  x.    11,   13.     "He  hath  faid  in  his 
"  heart,  God  hath  forgotten  ;  he  hideth  his  face  ;  he  will 
"  never  fee  it. — Wherefore  doth  die  wicked  contemn 
*'  God  ?  He  hath  A^id  in  his  heart,  thou  wilt  not  require 
"  it."     But  a  difcovery  of  the  divine  glory,  at  once  de- 
ftroys  the  foundation  of  this  ftupid  fecurity,  and  impious 
prefumption.     It  realizes  the  very  being  of  God  more 
than  before,  as  is  plainly  implied  in  the  words  of  Job :   / 
ba'-ce  heard  of  thee  with  the  hearing  of  the  ear  ;  but  uctj 
mine  eye  seeib  thee.     It  makes  his  preJence  fenfible,   and 
teaches  us,  that   "  all  diings  are  n;ked  before  him."     So 
that  there  is  hope  of  lying  concealed.     It  fcts  before  wii 
his  holinefs  and  jufticc  ;  that  he  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to 
behold  iniquity.     So  that,  while  his  nature  continues  tl:e 
fame,  the  gi-iilty  and  impenitent  cannot  poillbly  obtain 
pardon.     Above  all,  it  fets  before  us  the  terror  of  his  pow- 
er, which  is  infinite  and  boundlefs ;   fo  that  nothing  can 
be  more  vain,  than  for  the  fuincr  to  hope  cilbcr  to  efcape 
or  refill. 


2o8.  A  Fieiv  of  the  Glory  of  God 

Agreeably  to  all  this,  we  find,  that,  in  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures,  in  which  God  hath  been  pleafed  to  make  himftlf 
known  to  us  by  external  revelation,  it  is  by  afferting,  and, 
as  it  were,  difplayin,-]^,  and  producing  to  view,  the  glory 
of  his  infinite  perfeftion,  that  he  endeavors  to  deter  us 
from  fin,  and  animate  or  encourage  us  to  duty.  When 
God  gave  the  law  to  the  children  of  Ifrael,  he  gave  them, 
a.t  the  fame  time,  a  difplay  of  his  grcatnefs  and  majefty  in 
a  very  awful  manner.  To  exprefs  his  fovereign  authori- 
ty, and  the  abfolute  propriety  he  had  in  them,  he  introdu- 
ces it  with  thefe  words  :  "  I  am  the  Lord,  thy  God, 
*^  v/hich  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the 
"  houfe  of  bondage."  You  may  alio  remem.ber,  hov/  of- 
ten, in  appointing  the  feveral  Mofaic  conftitutions,  thefe 
fignificative  v/ords  are  repeated,  /  am  the  Lord.  In  the 
fame  manner,  to  imprefs  his  people  with  a  fenfe  of  the 
evil  of  fin,  as  committed  againii  fuch  a  God,  he  declares 
his  own  abfolute  dominion,  Mai.  i.  14.  "  But  curfed  be 
"  the  deceiver,  v/hich  hath  in  his  flock  a  male,  and  vow- 
*'•  eth  and  facrifieth  to  the  Lord  a  corrupt  thing  ;  for  I  am 
''  a  great  Pving,  faith  the  Lord  of  hofis,  and  my  name  is 
"  dreadful  amoncr  the  heathen." 

When  he  Vvould  give  his  people  a  deep  conviftion  of 
the  folly  and  danger  of  fecret  fins,  he  fets  forth  his  omni- 
fcience  and  omniprefence,  Jer.  xxiii.  23,  24.  "  Am  I  a 
"  God  at  hand,  and  not  a  God  afar  off  .^  Can  any  hide 
*'  himfelf  in  fecret  places,  that  I  fnall  not  fee  him  ?  faith 
"  the  Lord.  Do  not  1  fill  heaven  and  earth  ?  laith  the 
"  Lord.''  When  he  would  exprefs  the  danger  of  obllina- 
cy  and  difobedience,  he  gives  a  very  lively  idea  of  his 
infinite  power,  Jer.  v.  22.  "  Fear  ye  not  me  ?  faldi  the; 
"  Lord  :  will  ye  not  tremble  at  my  prefence,  Avhich  have 
•■'  placed  the  fand  for  the  bound  of  the  fea,  by  a  perpetual 
*■'  decree,  that  it  cannot  pafis  it ;  and  though  the  waves 
"  thereof  tofs  themi'elves,  yet  can  they  not  prevail ;  drough 
"  they  roar,  ye.t  can  they  not  pafs  over  it." 

The  very  fame  thing  he  doth  to  encourage  the  truft  of  his 

own  people,  Ifa.  xliv.  6.  "  Thus  faidi  the  Lord,  the  King 

.*'  of  Ilrael,  and  his  Redeemer,  the  Lord  of  hoils,  I  am  the 

"  firfi,  and  1  am  the  lafl,  and  befides  me  there  is  no  God." 

Wfien  he  would  make  us  fenfible,  that,  if  we  continue  in 


hmnbl'mg  to  the  Soul.  loxjr 

fin.  It  is  impoffible  for  ns  to  efcape  punifnment,  what  a 
terrible  reprefentation  does  he  give  of  his  dreadful  and 
irr^fiftible  vengeance?  Prophecies  ofNah.  i.  5,  6.  "  The 
"  mountains  quake  at  him,  and  the  hills  mek,  and  the 
"  earth  is  burnt  at  his  prefence,  yea,  the  world,  and  all 
"  that  dwell  therein.  Who  can  iiand  before  his  indig- 
"  nation  ?  and  who  can  abide  in  the  ficrcenei's  of  his  an- 
"  ger  ?  his  fury  is  poured  out  like  lire,  and  the  rocks  are 
"  thrown  down  by  him." 

Thus  we  f;e,  that  God,  in  fcripturc,  reveals  the  glory 
of  his  own  nature,  as  the  efTedtual  means  of  retraining  us 
in  the  commilTion  of  fin,  or  turning  us  from  it ;  and  plain- 
ly fuppofes,  that  nothing  but  ignorance  of  him  can  en- 
courage fmners  in  their  rebellion.  Neither  can  it  be  de- 
nied, that  when  there  is  an  inward  and  powerful  difcovery 
of  thefe  truths  to  the  mind,  it  mult  lead  us  to  repentance, 
and  lay  us  proflrate  before  his  throne,  in  obedience  and 
fubmiliion.  Who,  that  knoweth  the  Almighty,  will  run 
upon  tlie  thick  boffes  of  his  buckler  ?  or  Vv'ill  not  rather 
ufe  this  dutiful  language  of  Job,  chap.  ix.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 
*'  I  know  it  is  fo  of  a  truth ;  but  how  iliould  man  be  jiifl 
"  with  God  ?  If  he  will  contend  with  him,  he  cannot  an- 
"  fwer  him  one  of  a  thoufand.  He  is  wile  in  heart,  and 
"  mighty  in  ftrength  :  who  hath  hardeneth  himfelf  againll 
"  him,  and  hath  profpered  ?  wd:ich  ren'wjveth  the  moun- 
"  tains,  and  they  know  not ;  Vv'hich  overturneth  them  in 
"  his  anger ;  which  fliaketh  the  e:.rth  out  of  her  place, 
*'  and  the  pillars  thereof  tremble." 

4.  In  the  laft  place,  a  view  of  the  divine  glory  tends 
to  lead  us  to  repentance,  as  it  fets  fortli  his  infinite  mercy, 
and  affords  encouragement  to,  as  well  us  points  out  tlie 
profit  of  repentance.  Jufl:  and  proper  conceptions  of  God 
cannot  be  given  us,  without  including  his  great  mercy. 
This  bright  perfection  ilione,  even  on  Mount  Sinai, 
through  all  the  terrors  of  that  leeal  difpenfation,  Ki'iod. 
xxxiii.  18,  19.  "  And  he  faid,  1  bcfeech  thee,  Ihew  me 
''  thy  glory.  And  he  laid,  I  will  m:'.ke  all  my  goodnefs  to 
"  pafs  before  thee ;  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name  of  the 
"  the  Lord  before  thee ;  and  I  v;ill  be  gracious  to  whom 
"  J  will  be  gracious,  and  will  Ihcw   mercy  on  uhom  I 


2IO  A  Fieiv  of  the  Glory  of  God 

♦'  will  fhew  mercy.''  Exod.  xxxiv.  5,  6,  7.  "  And  the 
*'  Lord  defcended  in  the  cloud,  and  Hood  with  him  there, 
"  and  proclaimed  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord 
"  palfed  by  before  him,  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the 
**■  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-fuffering,  and 
"  abundant  in  gocdnefs  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for 
*'  thoufands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  tranfgreilion,  and 
"  fm."  Without  the  knowledge  of  this  amiable  attribute, 
all  the  other  perfe£lions  of  God  would  fignify  little  to  bring 
lis  to  true  repentance.  Without  this,  they  carry  nothing 
in  them  but  unmixed  terror  to  the  guilty.  Without  this, 
therefore,  the  confideration  of  his  infinite  holinefs  and  pu- 
rity, his  inflexible  jullice,  and  almighty  power,  would 
only  ferve  to  drive  us  further  from  him,  by  throwing  us 
into  abfolute  defpair.  But  when,  to  all  the  other  perfec- 
tions of  God,  we  join  his  infinite  mercy,  the  true  know- 
ledge of  him  ferves  not  only  to  deflroy  criminal  prefump- 
tion,  but  to  animate  to  dutiful  fubmiffion.  Thus  the 
Plidmift  expreffes  himfelf,  Pfalm  cxxx.  3,4.  "  If  thou, 
"  Lord,  Ihouldeft  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  fhall 
•*•  Hand  I  But  there  is  forgivenefs  with  thee,  that  thou 
*'  mayeft  be  feared.'*  Here  you  may  obferve,  that,  when 
he  fays,  "  there  is  forgivenefs  with  thee,  that  thou  mayell 
*'  be  feared,"  he  not  only  means,  that  there  is  encou- 
ra<7enient  to  ferve  God,  but  that  his  mercy  itfelf  leads  to 
that  filial  reverence  which  is  fo  eflential  a  part  of  true  pe- 
nitence. The  greatnefs  and  mercy  of  God  happily  con- 
fplre  in  melting  the  heart  of  the  finner.  There  is  an  ex- 
prefllon  of  fmgular  beauty,  Hof.  iii.  5.  *'  Afterward  fhall 
*'  the  children  of  Ifrael  return,  and  i'eek  the  Lord,  their 
"  God,  and  David,,  their  King  ;  and  Ihall  fear  the  Lord, 
*'  and  his  goodnefs,  in  the  latter  days." 

This  leads  me  to  obferve,  that  it  is  in  the  gofpel  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  Jefus  Chrift,  that  v.e  have  the  bright- 
eil  and  cleared  difplay  of  divine  rnercy.  It  is  in  Chriil:, 
that  we  have  the  true  and  favingdifcovery  of  the  glory  and 
perfeiSlions  of  God.  And  it  is  particularly  in  him,  that 
we  have  an  united  illuftration,  and  joint  difplay  of  great- 
nefs  and  goodnefs,  of  majefly  and  mercy.  In  the  under- 
taking of  our  blsHed  l^edeemer,  we  have  a  Very  clear  and 


humbling  to  ihe  Soul.  ai| 

an'e<5ling  view  of  thofe  perfeftions,  that  fliew  the  evil  of 
fin,  and  the  danger  of  the  finncr.  Never  did  the  holincfs 
of  God  fliine  brighter,  or  his  hatred  and  indij^nation  a- 
gaind  fin,  appear  v\  ith  greater  terror,  tlian  when  the  fword 
of  his  juflice  was  drawn  out  againd  t/jc  fiiun  w/jo  is  bis  fel- 
low. When  God  fwept  away  a  polluted  world  by  an 
univerfal  deluge  ;  when  he  overthrew  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah by  fire  and  briinllonc  from  heaven  ;  when  the 
earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  fwallowed  up  Korah,  Da- 
than,  andAbiram.  Thcie  were  terrible  proofs  of  his  ha- 
tred of  fm,  of  the  juflice  and  holinefs  of  his  nature.  Yet 
were  they,  after  all,  but  faint  evidences,  in  comparifon 
of  what  were  given,  when  "  he  who  was  in  the  iorm  of 
*'  God,  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God, 
"  — was  found  in  fafliion  as  a  man,  and  became  obedient 
*'  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  crols." 

But,  at  the  fame  time,  in  this  great  event,  hath  he  not 
magnified  his  love  ?  Rom.  v.  8.  "  But  God  hath  com- 
*'  mended  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  }'et 
"  finners,  Chriit  died  for  us."'  How  fliall  we  think  or 
fpeak  on  this  unfathomable  fubjeft  ?  Chrift  Jefus  is  the 
fruit  of  the  Father's  everlafting  love  to  finners  of  man- 
kind. How  great  the  giver !  how  unfpeakable  the  gift  ! 
how  mean  and  worthlcfs  the  objefls  of  his  love  !  God  is 
love.  Power,  wifdom,  holinefs,  and  juflice,  fliine,  in- 
deed, in  the  doclrine  of  the  crofs.  But,  above  all,  grace 
and  mercy  prevail  ''  and  reign  through  riglueoufnefs  unto 
*'  eternal  life."  What  a  melting  view  to  every  convin- 
cing finner  !  Zech.  xii.  lo.  "  — They  fliall  look  upon  me, 
*'  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  they  iliall  mourn  for 
"  him,  as  one  that  mournelh  for  his  only  fon,  and  fliall 
"  be  in  bitternefs  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitternefs  for 
"  his  firll-born.'"  Mull  they  not,  with  Job,  abhor  the ni" 
.seheSy  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  ?  This  is  a  circum- 
fiance  frequenti_y  taken  notice  of  with  regard  to  the  gof- 
pel  converts.  Jer.  xxxi.  9.  "  They  Ihall  come  v.ith 
"  weeping;  and  with  fupplications  will  I  lead  them.  Jer. 
**  v.  4,  5.  In  ihofe  days,  and  in  that  time,  faith  the 
*'  Lord,  the  children  of  Il'rael  flkUI  come,  they,  and  the 
*'  chiklren  of  Jiidah  togethcT,  goitig  and  v.eeping ;  tl;ey 


212  ji  Hew  of  the  Glory  of  God 

"  (hall  go  and  feek  tlie  Lord,  then'  God.  They  fliall  alk 
"  the  way  to  Zion,  with  their  faces  thitherward,  faying, 
"  Come,  and  let  us  join  ourfelvesto  the  Lord  in  a  perpe- 
"  tual  covenant,  that  iliall  not  be  forgotten."  I  fliall 
clofe  this  head,  by  addreffing  to  you  the  words  of  God  to 
the  children  of  Ifrael,  Joel  ii.  12,  13.  "  Therefore  alfo 
"  now,  faith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  even  to  me  with  all  your 
*'  heart,  and  with  falling,  and  wdth  weeping,  and  with 
"  mourning,  and  rent  your  heart,  and  not  your  gar- 
"  ments,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God  ;  for  he  is 
"  gracious  and  merciful,  flow  to  anger,  and  of  great 
'-*  kindnefs,  and  repenteth  him  of  the  evil." 

I  proceed,  now,  to  make  fo.ne  praftical  improvement 
of  what  hath  been  faid.     And, 

I. 'You  may  learn,  from  this  fubjeft,  the  force  and 
meaning  of  thofe  paffages  of  fcripture,  in  which  the  whole 
of  religion  is  impreifed  by  the  knowledge  of  God.  Thus, 
Prov.  ix.  10.  '"  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of 
"  wifdom  ;  and  the  knowledge  of  the  holy  is  underftand- 
"  ing."  The  fame  thing  is  affirmed- by  our  blefied  Sa- 
viour, John  xvii.  3.  "  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
"  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jefus  Chrilt, 
"  v/hom  thou  hall  fent."  On  the  other  hand,  wicked 
men  are  often  defcribed  by  this  fhort  and  expreffive  cha- 
rafter,  that  they  know  not  God,  as  in  2  ThelT.  i.  8. 
*■'  — In  flaming  f.re,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
"  not  God."  The  truth  is,  God  is  either  wholly  unknown, 
or  greatly  miilaken  by  wicked  men.  None  but  his  fervants 
do  truly  fee  his  glory  ;  and  the  more  they  fee  of  him,  the 
more  they  are  affimilated  to  him.  Thus  the  apoftle  Paul 
defcribes  convcrfion  in  the  following  terms,  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 
"  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  fliine  out  of 
^'  darkneis,  hath  ihined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light 
"  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
"  Jefus  Chrift."  And,  in  the  fame  epifile,  chap.  iii.  18, 
he  thus  defcribes  the  progrefs  of  tlie  chriflian  life,  "  But 
"  we  all,  with  open  face,  beholding,  as  in  a  glal's,  the 
"  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  fame  image, 
"  from  s^lory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 


humbling  to  the  Soul.  2  r^ 

.  2.  From  what  hath  been  faidon  tliis  fubje6t,  you  may 
learn  the  great  danger  of  a  ftate  of  ignorance.  If  repen- 
tance, which  is  the  beginning  of  true  relidon,  takes  its 
rife  from  a  icnowled;2;e  of  the  nature  and  perfections  of 
God,  does  it  not  follow,  that  thofe  who  are  grofsly  igno- 
rant, are  not  only  in  a  contemptible,  but  in  a  deplorable 
flate  ?  that  they  mult  be  ll:ran;^ers  to  the  power  and  i)rac- 
tice  of  re]ic!;ion,  and,  dying  in  that  condition,  muft  pe- 
rilh  eternally  ?  It  is  much  to  be  hun^-nted,  that  even 
amongit  us,  who  have  the  means  of  inflruction  in  fo 
great  plenty,  there  are  ftill  many  who  continue  grofsly 
ignorant.  How  inexcufable  are  thofe  parents,  who  do  not 
make  confcience  of  dili,o;ently  training  up  their  children 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  things  that  belong  to  their  elernal 
peace  ?  I  muft  alfo  intrcat  all  heads  of  families,  whom 
God  hath  enabled  to  hire  the  labor  of  others,  ferioufly  to 
think  of  the  obligation  that  lies  upon  them,  to  inftru6t 
their  fervants  in  the  principles  of  religion,  and  not  fuller 
any  under  their  roof  to  perifh  for  lack  of  knowledge.  Do 
not  think  you  have  done  enough,  when  you  have  given 
them  food  and  v/ages,  if  you  wholly  negledt  their  precious 
fouls.  I  do  not  expert  to  prevail  upon  you,  faithfully  to 
difcharge  this  duty,  by  any  arguments  but  thofe  drawn 
from  the  glory  of  God,  and  yonr  own  everlafling  interefl ; 
but  I  cannot  help,  at  the  fame  time,  putting  you  in  mind, 
that  it  is  very  much  for  your  temporal  intereft.  Depend 
upon  it,  the  more  confcientioufly  you  difcharge  your  d'jty 
to  them,  the  more  honcltly,  diligently,  and  chearfuUy  will 
they  ferve  you.  It  is  very  common  to  hear  complaints  of 
the  flothfulnefs,  unfaithfulnefs,  and  infolence  of  fervants  ; 
but,  if  we  confider,  ferioufly,  v/hat  belongs  to  the  duty  of 
a  mafter,  there  will  be  found,  perhaps,  as  many,  and  as 
great  faults,  on  this  fide  as  on  the  other.  It  is  furpriiin?;, 
that  fome  Icem  to  expect,  in  a  poor  uneducated  creature, 
all  manner  of  decency  of  behavior,  fweetnefs  of  temper, 
integrity,  and  diligence,  and  are  ready  to  florm  upon  tiie 
lealt  defect,  while,  at  the  fame  time,  tliev  fliov/  no  example 
in  their  ov/n  conduct,  but  of  a  vifible  neglect  of  duty 
both  to  God  and  man.  Oh  !  my  brethren,  have  pity  on 
the  ignorant,  efpscivally  the  younjer  fort,  who  v/ould  learn, 
Vol.  II.  2  b 


2T4  -^  ^i^v  of  the  Glory  of  God 

if  they  had  teachers.  IgnOrahCe  is  always  a  fecure,  infen- 
fible  ilate.  They  know  nothing,  and  therefore  they  fear 
nothing.  Public  inllruftion  is,  in  a  great  meafure,  ufelefs 
to  thofe  who  are  not  prepared  for  it  by  more  familiar  teach- 
ing at  home.  Let  miniilers  fpeak  never  fo  plainly  from 
the  pulpit,  it  is  ftill  to  many  of  them  a  ilrange  language, 
which  they  do  not  comprehend. 

3.  From  what  hath  been  faid  on  this  fubje6t,  you  may 
fee  the  neceffity  of  regeneration,  or  an  inward  change  of 
heart,  in  order  to  real  religion.  You  have  heard  above, 
that  it  is  not  a  fpeculative  knowledge  of  the  nature  and 
perfeftions  of  God,  or  underflanding  what  he  is,  that  leads 
to  repentance,  but  a  view  of  his  excellence  and  amiable- 
nefs,  as  glorious  in  his  holinefs.  This  none  can  have, 
but  thofe  who  are  in  fome  meafure  transformed  into  the 
fame  image.  Hence  it  is,  that  v/icked  men  do  not  cherifh, 
but  avoid  the  thoughts  of  God.  Hence  it  is,  that  extra- 
ordinary tokens  of  the  divine  power  and  prefence,  fignal 
judgments,  and  unexpefted  flrokes  on  themfelves,  or 
their  relations,  diftrefs  and  terrify  them,  and  bring  them 
under  a  flaviili  bondage  for  a  little,  but  produce  no  love  ;. 
no  defire  of  union  ;  no  cordial  fubmiflion.  Hence  alfo 
appears  the  foolilhnefs  of  that  fmful,  but  general  propenfi- 
ty  in  men,  to  afli  after  a  fign,  and  to  defire  that  other  and 
ditFerent  evidence  Ihould  be  given  them  of  the  truth  of 
religion  than  God  hath  {qqw  meet.  A-V^e  have  an  example 
of  this  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  record- 
ed Luke  xvi.  towards  the  clofe.  There  the  rich  man  is 
reprcfented,  as  intreating,  that  Lazarus  might  be  fent  to 
his  brethren  for  their  v/arning.  When  Abraham  refers 
them  to  the  revealed  will  of  God,  Mofes  and  the  prophets, 
he  urges  his  requell  thus,  ver.  30.  "  And  he  faid,  nay,  fa- 
"  ther  Abraham  ;  but  if  one  went  unto  them  from  the 
*'  dead,  they  will  repent ;"  to  which  the  anfwer  is  given 
immediately,  "  If  they  hear  not  Mofes  and  the  prophets, 
" "  neither  will  they  be  perfuaded,  though  one  rofe  from  the 
*'  dead." 

There  have  been  others,  at  different  times,  who  have 
(lefired  fuch  extraordinaiy  proofs  ;  but  they  would  of 
Lhemfclves,  be  attended  with  no  real  benefit.     Though 


humbling  to  the  Soul. 


21 


you  had  been  on  Mount  Sinai  with  Mofes,  it  would  have 
produced  terror,  but  no  other  eflect,   without  a  fpiritual 
difcovery  of  the  real  glory  of  God.     See  Exod.  xix.  i6. 
"  And  it  came  to  pafs,  on  the  third  day,  in  the  morning, 
"  that  there  were  thunders,   and  lightnings,   and  a  thick 
"  cloud  upon  the   Mount,   and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet 
"  exceeding  loud  ;  fo  that  all  the  people  that  ii'as  in  the 
"  camp  trembled."     And  the  fame  book,  chap.  xx.  18,19. 
"  And  all  the  people  faw  the  thundcrings,  and  the  light- 
"  nings,  and  the  noife  of  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain 
"  fmoking ;  and  when  the  people  faw  it,  they  removed, 
"  and  flood  afar  off:  and  they  faid  unto  Mofes,  fpeak  thou 
"  with  us,  and  we  will  hear  ;  but  let  not  God  fpeak  with 
"  us,  left  we  die."     Another  evidence  of  the  fame  thing, 
may  be  taken  from  the  cafe  of  devils  and  damned  fpirits. 
They  have,  no  doubt,  a  fenfible  demonfiration  of  the  be- 
ing, and,  probably,  a  very  clear  intellectual  knowledge  of 
the  nature  of  God  ;  yet  hath  it  not  ?iny  cfTefl  in  chang- 
ing their  difpofitions  :   on  the  contrary,  the  more  they 
know  of  him,  who  is  fo  oppofite  to  their  temper,  they  hate 
him  the  more ;    it  inflames  their  natural  enmity,  and 
makes  it  rage  with  double  violence.     This,  I  think,  ap- 
pears very  plainly,  both  from  the  reafon  of  the  thing,  and 
from  the  following  paflages  of  fcripture,  Malth.  viii.  29. 
it  is   faid  of  two  demoniacs  :  "  And  behold  they   cried 
*'  out,  faying,  what  have  wc  to  do  with  thee,  Jefus,  thou 
"  Son  of  God  ?  art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before 
"  the  time  :"     Mark  v.  6,  7.  "  But  when  he  faw  Jefus 
"  afar  off,  he  ran  and  worlhipped  him,  and  cried  with  a 
"  loud  voice,  and  faid,  what  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  Jefus, 
*'  thou  Son  of  the  moft  high  God  ?  I  adjure  thee  by  God, 
"  that  thou  torment  me  not."     And  again,  Mark  ix.  20. 
"  And  they  brought  him  unto  him  ;  and  when  he   faw 
''  him,  ftraightvvay  the  fpirit  tare  him,  and  he  fell  on  the 
"  ground,  and  wallowed,  foaming."     From  which  pafi'a- 
ges,    we   may  perceive,  agreeable  to  what  has  been  ob- 
lerved,  that  the  prefence  of  Chrift  increafcd,  at  once,  the 
rage  and  mifery  of  the  unclean  Ipirits.     Let  this  e>:cite  us 
to  pray,  that  it  would  pleafe  God  to  reveal  himfclf  to  us 
by  his  Spirit,  and  give  us  the  faving  knov/ledge  gf  him. 


2i6  A  Fiew  of  the  Glory  of  God 

as  he  Is  "  in  Chrift  Jefus,  reconciling  the  world  to  him. 

"felf." 

4.  Suffer  me,  on  this  occafion,  Ihortly  to  adclrefs  myfelf 
to  thofe,  who  are  Grangers  to  true  religion.     Let  me  be- 
feecli  them,  while  they  are  ytt  in  the  way,  and  whilft  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  ftriving  with  them,  in  his  word  and  ordi- 
nances, to  lay  down  the  weapons  of  their  rebellion  againfl 
hiai,  and  to  lay  hold,  by  faith,  on  the  atoning  blood  of 
Chrill  for  their  reconciliation  and  peace.     Are  there  not 
fome  in  this  afTembly,  who  have  yet  no  knowledge  of  God, 
but  that  which  makes  his  fervice  a  burden,  his  Sabbaths  a 
v/earinefs,  and  his  people  contemptible  or  odious  ?     Are 
there  not  fome  tender  fpirits,  who  are  paffionate  lovers  of 
thif.  prefent  world,  but  unable  to  bear  the  view  of  mor- 
tality and  mifery  in  their  fellow-creatures  ;  who  tremble 
at  the  gloom  of  a  church-yard,  or  burying  vault,  and  turn 
pale  as  afhes  at  the  fight  of  a  death's  head,  or  an  open 
grave  ?  I  befeech  you,  my  beloved  hearers,  to  join,  with 
tlie  terror  of  divine  power,  the  riches  of  divine  grace  ; 
and  let  both  conftrain  you  to  "  acquaint  yourfelves  with 
*'  God,  and  be  at  peace,  that  thereby   good  may   come 
"  unto  you."     I  know  no  way,  by  which  you  may  avoid 
meeting  with  the  king  of  terrors  ;  but  you  may  fet  him  at 
defiance  under  the  proteftion  of  the  King  of  kings.  There 
is  no  profit  in  forgetting,  but  there  is  both  honor  and  pro- 
fit in  conquering  death.     Some  are  unhappily  fuccefsful, 
for  a  feafon,  in  banifting  every  difmal  idea  from  their 
minds.     The  falfe  and  flattering  pleafures  of  life  ingrofs 
their  attention,  and  intoxicate  their  minds.     Eut  in  a  lit- 
tle time,  Behold  the  fupreme  Judge  "  cometh  with  clouds,, 
•'  and  every  eye  fnall  fee  him,  and  they  alfo  which  pierc- 
"  ed  him  ;  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  fliall  wail  becaufe 
*'  of  him,"     He  is  now  beieeching  you  Vv^ith  tendernefs, 
raid  v/aiting  on  you  with  patience.     Embrace,  therefore, 
the  happy  feafon.     "  Kifs  the  Son,  leii;  he  be  angry,  and 
'■'■  ye  periih  from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but 
"  a  littie  ;  blclfed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trull  in  him." 
5.  In  the  lafh  place,  you  may  fee  the  reafon  why  eveiy 
trul)'  good  man,  the  more  he  grov/eth   in  religion,  the 
more  he  grovveth  in  humility.     Grov/lli  in  religion   im- 


humbl'mff  to  the  Soul.  217 

plies,  or  carries  in  it,  a  growing  difcovery  of  tJie  glory  ©F 
Gk)d,  as  It  fhines  in  his  works,  his  word,  iiis  ordinances, 
his  providence.     Tliisneceilarily  leads  to  felf-abafement. 
O  how  contrary  to  rcligion  is  pride  !  But,  above  all  others, 
how    abfurd,   criminal,   intolerable,    is    fpiritual    pride  ? 
What  a  proof  of  ielf-ignorance,  as  well  as  forgetfulnefs  of 
God  !     The  firil  views  of  a  penitent  are  fixed  on  the  enor- 
mities of  his  life  ;  but  when  thefe  are,  in  fome  mealure, 
fubdued,  additional  difcovcries  of  the  glory  of  God  bring 
fortli  the  latent  corruptions  of  his  heart.     What  afiedtinc 
complaints  does  that  eminent,  zealous,  faitliful  minifler  of 
Chrill,  the  apoltle  Paul,  make  in  the  following  well  knov/n 
paflage,  Rom.  vii.  18.  "  For  1  know  that  in  me  (lliat  is, 
"  in  my  flefli)  dwelleth  no  good  thing :  for  to  will  is  pre- 
"  fent  with  me  ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I 
"  find  not."     And  ver.  23,  24.  "  But  I  fee  another  lav/ 
"  in  my  members,  warring  againft  the  law  of  my  mind, 
*'  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  fin,  which 
"  is   in   my  members.     O   wretched  man  that   I    am  ! 
"  who  fliall  deliver   me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?" 
Nay,  the  cleared  views  which  a  believer  can  take  of  the 
riches  of  divine  mercy  through  a  Redeemer,  though  they 
afford  unfpeakable  confolation  in  God,  tend  alfo  deeply  to 
humble  him,  under  a  fenfe  of  his  own  unworthinefs.    The 
doctrine  of  the  crofs  is  not  more  refrelhing  to  the  broken 
in  heart,  than  it  is  abafing  to  the  ]3roud  ;  for  it  was  chofen 
of  God  for  this  very  purpofe,  "  that  no  flcfh  fhould  glory 
"  in  his  prefence." 

On  the  A\'hole,  my  brethren,  as  3'ou  cannot  li\'e  under 
the  diretlion  of  a  better  habitual  principle,  fo  yoa  cannot 
prepare  for  any  a£l  of  folemn  vvorll-iip  more  properly,  than 
by  deep  humility,  'i'o  improve  this  difpofition,  let  me 
intreat  you  to  make  a  fericus  and  impartial  learch  into  the 
fins  you  have  been  guilty  of,  in  heart  and  converfation, 
by  omiifion  or  comniilfion ;  by  neglefting  your  duty  to 
God,  or  the  ill  performance  of  his  worfliip,  in  public,  in 
family,  or  in  fccret  ;  by  negle(^ling  your  duty  to  your 
neighbor,  to  yourfelves,  to  your  relations  ;  or  doing  that 
which  is  wrong,  by  indulging,  in  any  meafure,  the  "  lult 
"  of  the  flclli,  the  lull  of  the  eye,   or  the  pride  of  life." 


2jt  A  Fiev)  of  the  Glory  of  God^  ^c. 

To  conclude  all,  you  will  never  have  a  more  fatisfying 
evidence,  that  your  a£ls  of  worfliip,  ordinary  or  more  fo- 
lemn,  have  been  acceptable  to  God,  than  if  they  ferve  to 
clothe  you  with  humility,  and  make  you  adopt  and  relifh  j 

the  words  of  Job  in  the  text :  /  bave  beard  of  thee  by  the         \ 
hearing  of  the  ear  ;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee.    JVb^re- 
fore  1  abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes^ 


C    219   ] 


t  voc*  00*0  e«e«  mooqom  mmoom  0000  coo*  0000  ;  oooo  0000  com  oom  oom  wo*  tooo  tooo  oom  moo  tooo  ! 
}  eeoo  0000  0000  000*  ooo*  moo  9^«q  tooa  0000  «rwo  C  cooo  vooo  0000  ocoo  oooo  cooa  0000  cooo  0000  0000  «ood  c 


The  happiness  or  the  SAINTS  in  HEAVEN. 

A 

SERMON. 


Rev.  vii.  15. 


Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  Gody  and  serve 
him  day  and  night  in  his  temple. — 

MY  brethren,  however  great  a  degree  of  corruption 
prevails  at  prefent  in  the  vifible  church,  the  very 
profeffion  of  every  Chriftian,  implies  a  renunciation  of  the 
world,  and  a  fixed  hope  of  a  better  ftate.  His  attendance 
upon  the  ordinances  of  God  on  earth,  is  in  order  to  fecure 
the  pofleflion,  and  prepare  himfelf  for  the  enjoyment  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance.  He  confeffeth  that  he  is  a  ftranger 
and  pilgrim  in  the  earth ;  that  he  lives  by  faith,  and  not 
by  fight.  And,  therefore,  nothing  can  be  more  fuitable 
to  his  charadler ;  nothing  more  conducive  to  his  comfort, 
than  frequent  views  of  the  employment  and  happlnefs  of 
the  fpirits  of  jult  men  made  perfect. 

And,  furely,  this  is  a  fubjedt  highly  proper  for  our  me- 
ditation on  the  evening  of  a  communion  Sabbath.  In 
this  ordinance,  you  have  had  the  price  paid  for  this  glori- 
ous inheritance  fet  before  you,  by  fymbolical  rcjM-efenta- 
tion,  that  your  faith  in,  and  hope  of  the  pofltflion  of  it,  might 
be  the  more  confirmed.  In  the  inllitution  itfelf,  as  recorded 
by  the  apollle  Paul,  you  find  he  connects  the  commemo- 
ration of  the  fufierings,  and  death  of  Chrifl,  with  his  fcccnd 
appearance  in  glory,  i  Cor.  xi.  26.  "  For,  r.s  often  as  ye 


2-20  The  happiness  of  the 

"  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  fhew  the~ 
"'Lord's  death  till  he  come."  Nay,  our  Lord  himfelf 
feems  to  have  had  his  heart  and  his  thoughts  in  hea- 
ven, when  he  left  this  memorial  of  his  prefence  on  earth, 
as  appears  from  Matth.  xxvi.  29.  "  But  I  fay  unto  you, 
"  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  un- 
"  til  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's 
''  kingdom."  And,  indeed,  we  have  his  own  example 
in  this  firft  communion,  wherein  he  himfelf  was  the  ad- 
miniflrator,  for  following  or  concluding  it  with  a  medita- 
tion on  the  heavenly  happinefs  ;  for,  before  he  rofe  from 
it,  he  begins  his  excellent  confolatory  difcourfe  in  this 
manner,  John  xiv.  1,2.  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled; 
"  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  alfo  in  me.  In  my  Father's 
"  houfe  are  many  manfions ;  if  it  were  not  fo,  I  would 
"  have  told  you  :  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you." 

It  is  true,  indeed,  my  brethren,  our  knowledge  of  the 
future  glory- of  the  faints,  is  at  prefent,  extremely  imper- 
feft,  and  muft  be  fo,  for  wife  reafons,  while  we  continue 
in  the  body.  There  are,  however,  feveral  different  views 
of  it  given  in  the  word  of  God,  highly  worthy  of  our  at- 
tention. Amongil  others,  this  in  our  text,  that  they  are 
bsfore  the  throne  of  God^  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in 
his  temple.  That  thefe  words  are  to  be  underftood  of 
the  faints  in  heaven,  and  not  of  any  glorious  period  of 
the  church  on  earth,  or,  if  of  this  laft,  manifeftly  in  allufion 
to  the  former,  I  think  is  plain,  both  from  what  goes  be- 
fore, and  what  follows  them ;  which  I  fhall  read  in  con- 
neiStion,  as  ail  the  explication  of  the  text  that  is  neceffary, 
from  ver.  13.  "And  one  of  the  elders  anfwered,  faying 
"  unto  me,  what  are  thefe  which  are  arrayed  in  white" 
"  robes  ?  and  whence  came  they  ?  and  I  faid  unto  him, 
"  Sir,  thou  knoweil.  And  he  faid  to  me,  thefe  are  they 
"  vv'hich  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  wallied 
"  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
"  Lamb."  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, 
a7id  ser-De  hhn  day  a7id  night  in  his  temple  ;  "  and  he  that- 
"  fitteth  on  the  throne  ihall  dwell  among  them ;  they 
'■"  fnail  hvmgcr  no  more,  neither  thirft  any  more ;  neither 
'*  {liall  the  fun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat ;  'for  tlie  Lamb, 


Saints  in  Heai$n,  221 

•*  which  is  in  the  midfl:  of  the  tlirone,  fliall  feed  them,  and 
*'  fhall  lead  them  unto  Hving  fountains  of  waters  ;  and 
*'  God  fliall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

What  I  propofe  from  this  padage,  at  prcfent,  is,  ihrough 
divine  allillance,  to  illuftratc  a  little  to  you,  the  happincfs 
of  the  faints  in  perpetual  communion  with  God  in  his 
temple  above ;  and  then  to  make  fome  improvement  of 
the  lubjedt,  for  your  inftrudlion  and  dire<5tion  while  you 
continue  here  below. 

I.  In  tlie  firft  place,  then,  I  am  to  illuftrate  a  little  to 
you  the  happinefs  of  the  faints  in  perpetual  communion 
with  God  in  his  temple  above.  And,  here,  obferve,  that 
though  I  have  faid  perpetual  communion  with  God,  nnd 
did  mean  it  of  his  immediate  worfhip  and  fervice,  I  did 
not  intend  toaiTert,  that  they  are  at  no  time  employed  in 
a  different  manner,  or  in  work  which  may  be  called  by  a 
different  name.  What  variety  of  exercife  may  be  pro- 
vided for  their  noble  and  vigorous  faculties,  in  the  nature 
or  works  of  God,  we  cannot  pretend  to  know.  As  the 
■angels  are  called  "  miniftring  fpirits,  fent  forth  to  miniiler 
*'  to  them  who  are  heirs  of  falvation;"  fo  we  knov/  not 
how  far  he  may  blefs  and  dignify  his  faints,  by  employ- 
ing them  in  the  adminillration  of  Ibme  part  of  his  exten- 
five  dominion.  But  it  is  furely  juft  to  call  their  commu- 
nion with  God  in  his  worfliip  perpetual,  both  becaufe  of 
their  frequent  a6lual  application  to  it,  and  becaufe  of  that 
conflant  adoration  of  foul  which  we  mull  fuppofe  will  ac- 
company either  an  invelligation  of  the  nature  and  works, 
or  an  execution  of  the  will  of  God.  It  is  alio  well  war- 
ranted by  the  expreflion  in  the  text,  and  serve  him  day 
and  night  in  his  temple.  Now,  in  order  to  illuilrate  the 
worfliip  of  the  faints  in  heaven,  we  may  confider  it  in 
two  different  lights  :  Firft,  As  it  is  internal  and  spiritual. 
Secondly,  As  it  is  external  and  sensible, 

Firft,  L°t  us  confider  the  happinefs  of  tlie  faints,  in  that 
part  of  their  celeftial  worfhip,  which  is  internal  and  fpi- 
ritual ;  and,  in  general,  we  muft  frequently  recal  to  our 
minds  tlie  imperfection  of  our  prefent  difcoveries,  and 
remember,  that  "  ey«  hath  not  leen,  nor  ear  heard,  ngr 

Vol.  II.  2  E  " 


222  The  Happiness  of  the 

*^  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  what 
"  the  Lord  hath  laid  up  for  them  that  love  him."  There 
may,  for  any  thing  vs-e  know,  be  difcoveries,  and  by  con- 
fequeiTce,  a6ls  of  worihip,  and  difpofitions  of  mind  cor- 
rel'ponding  to  them,  totally  different  in  kind  from  any 
thing  we  are  now  capable  of,  as  well  as  higher  in  degree. 
Of  thefe  v/e  mufl  be  abfolutely  filent  :  therefore,  all  that 
fhall  Ibllov/  upon  this  fubje6l,  ic  founded  upon  the  follow- 
ing remark,  that  whatever  a<?ts  of  worfhip  we  have  now 
any  experience  of,  and  by  which  we  are  initiated,  fo  to 
fpeak,  into,  and  trained  up  for  the  employment  of  heaven, 
fhall  then  be  performed  to  far  greater  perfedion,  and  with 
infinitely  greater  joy. 

In  order  to  the  more  diilin61f  confideration  of  this  fub- 
jeft,  you  may  obferve,  that  all  the  a6ls  of  v/orfhip,  of 
which  we  are  now  capable,  may  be  reduced  to  the  four 
following  kinds  :  Firft,  Acts  of  adoration.  Secondly,  Of 
gratitude.  Thirdly,  Of  defire.  And,  Fourthly,  Of  truft 
and  fubjedion. 

In  the  firft  place,  A6ls  of  adoration.  By  thefe,  as  dif- 
tinguiflied  from  the  others  mentioned,  I  undeiiland  the 
immediate  contemplation  of  the  glorious  excellence  of  the 
divine  nature,  and  the  exercife  of  thefe  affedlions  of  foul 
which  correfpond  to  it.  The  nature  of  God  is  difcovered, 
and  his  glory  exhibited  to  view,  in  all  his  works,  and  in. 
all  his  ways.  And  he  is  the  proper  obje6l  of  the  higheft 
efteem,  the  deepell  admiration,  and  moil  ardent  love  of 
-every  leafonable  creature,  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  inde- 
pendent of  any  intereft  they  may  have,  or  hope  to  have 
in  his  favor.  Therefore  it  is  the  firft  duty  and  chief  end 
of  man  to  give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  that  is  due  unto 
his  name.  I  know  this  is  what  worldly  men,  who  live 
in  fin,  cannot  underftand,  and  therefore  are  apt  to  deride  ; 
which  is  indeed  the  cafe  Vv^ith  refpeft  to  all  the  truths  of 
God,  confidered^in  their  full  extent,  and  as  refting  upon 
their  proper  foui^fflation ;  the  natural  man  cannot  receive 
them.  But  as  it  is  the  firft  commandment  of  the  law. 
"  Thou  flialt  worfliip  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only 
••'  Ihalt  thou  ferve ;"  fo  it  is  the  leading  and  the  capital 
truth  taught  and  repeated  in  the  facred  oracles,  that  all 


Saints  in  Heaven.  223 

things  were  made  for,  that  all  things  fhail  finally  tend  to ; 
and  therefore  all  intelligent  creatures  ought,  lupremcly, 
to  am  at  the  glory  of  God. 

Tliis  may  be  eqfily  fupportcd  by  unprejudiced  reafon; 
for  whatjcan  be  more.juft  than  to  have  the  hip:he{l  efteem  of 
the  highed  excellence,  the  deeped  admiration  of  bound- 
lefs  and  fpotlefs  perfection,  and  a  fupreme  love  for  what  Is 
infinitely  amiable.  It  is  wholly  owing  to  the  corruption 
of  our  nature,  that  we  are  fo  little  fenfible  of  the  fin  of  ne- 
glecting this.  And,  indeed,  a  iliort  and  jull  defcriptlon 
of  our  corruption  may  be  given  thus  ;  it  confifis  in  dethron- 
ing God,  and  fetting  up  felf  to  be  honored,  loved,  and 
ferved  in  his  room. 

But,  my  brethren,  every  real   Chrifilan  has  been  re- 
covered to  a  view  of  this  his  fidt  obligation  as  a  creature  ; 
■"knows,  experimentally,  what  it  is,  fiipremely,  to  honor 
the  living  and  true  God,  and  hath  a  peculiar  pkafure  in 
the  furvey  and  celebration  of  all  his  perfections.     All  fuch 
rejoice  in  his  dominion,  and  feel  a  fatisf'aCtion  in  it,  as 
infinitely  right  and  fit,  that  the  will  of  the  Lord  fl^.ould  be 
done.     They  join,  in  their  manner,  on  earth,  v/ith  the 
heavenly  holls,  as  thus   reprcfented.    Rev.   xi.    16,   17. 
*'  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  fat  before  God 
''  on  their  feats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and  worlhipped 
*'  God,  faying,  we  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God  Al- 
"  mighty,  v/hich  art,  and  wail,  and  art  to  come,  becaufe 
*'  thou  hail  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hall  reign- 
*'  ed."     Revelation  xix.  6.    "  And    1  heard,  as  it  were, 
'^  the  voice   of  a  great  multitude,  and  as    the   voice   of 
"  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice   of  mighty  thunderings, 
"  faying.  Alleluia ;  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  rcign- 
"  eth."     Bat  how  incomparably  more  perfect,  and  more 
joyful,  their  adoration  of  God,  when  they  arc  come  into 
his  prefence  !  then  the  veil  fliall  be  drawn  afide  :  they  fhall 
"  fee  him  face  to  face  ;"  they  fliall  '"'■  knov/,  even  as  they 
**  are  known."     Inllead  of  thefe  comparatively  cbicure 
hints  and  intimations,  which  they  now  have  of  his  glory, 
then,  the  whole  extenfive  plan  of  providence,  of  which 
ihey  now  fee  only  a  fmall  detached  part,  ihall  be  opened 
to  their  vicv/  :  then  ihall  they  fee  the  overthrow  and  fub- 
jeCtion  cf  the  pride  and  arrogar.ee,  and  bcr.dcd  v.ifdcm  of 


224  ^^^^  Happiness  of  the 

man,  "  which  is  fooHflinefs  with  God ;"  and  die  blefTed, 
happy  iffue,  of  thefe  various  trials  of  the  people  of  God, 
which  formerly  gave  them  fo  many  anxious  and  diAruil- 
ful  thoughts.  But  vdiy  do  I  mention  particulars,  when 
all  the  effeds  of  creating  lliill,  all  the  fruits  of  fupporting 
and  preferving  goodnefs,  fliall  be  laid  before  them  ? 

And  is  there  not  fome  lover  of  Chrift,  faying  here  with- 
in himfelr,  why  do  you  not  mention  the  myilery  of  re- 
demption, ''  God  manifefled  in  the  fleih :"  in  this  the 
glory  of  God  eminently  fhines,  his  unequalled,  his  unri- 
valled glory.  That  this,  as  the  work  of  God,  (though  we 
can  hardly  keep  our  own  concerns  out  of  view)  fliall  be 
the  particular  theme  of  celeftial  praife,  is  not  to  be  doubted,, 
and  Is  evident  from  hence,  that  Chrift,  as  the  obje(^  of 
Vv'orfhip,  is  reprefented,  as  appearing  there  like  a  Lamb 
that  had  been  llain. 

Once  more,  as  the  church  of  God,  at  prefent,  is  the 
mean  of  illuftrating  his  wifdom  to  principalities  and  pow- 
ers, orto  the  angelic  hofts,  which  we  learn  from  Eph.  iii.  lo. 
*'  To  the  intent  that,  now,  unto  the  principalities  and 
"  powers,  in  heavenly  places,  might  be  known  by  the 
*'  church  the  manifold  wifdom  of  God  ;"  fo  the  order  and 
government  of  thefe  fupcrior  intelligences  fliall  be  opened 
to  the  view  of  the  faints  in  glory.  In  the  profpe£tof  all 
this,  they  fliall  fay,  Rev.  xv.  3.  " — Great  and  marvellous 
*'  are  thy  works.  Lord  God  Almighty ;  juft  and  true  are 
*'  thy  >vays,  thou  King  of  faints."  With  what  exultation 
of  foul,  then,  with  what  fervor  of  adoring  wonder,  and  ad- 
miring love,  Ihall  they  celebrate  the  divine  glory  !  As 
they  fliall  be  wliolly  freed  from  every  degree  of  fmful 
and  felfifh  bias,  they  ihall  feel  the  clea.reft  conviclion  of 
the  obligation  of  their  duty,  and  difcharge  it  by  a  free, 
imconftrained  impulfe  of  foul :  for  the  fame  reafon,  the 
pleafure  arifmg  from  it  will  be  fo  much  the  more  pure  and 
immixed,  that  it  is  not  aimed  at  on  its  own  account,  nor 
purchafed  by  any  compliance  that  might  but  feem  to  have  a 
5 mercenary  view. 

In  the  fscond  place.  Let  us  confider  the  celeftlal  wor- 
iliip,  as  confifting  in  a6"ls  of  gratitude  and  praife.  And, 
]|ic;:e  obfer^^e,  that  though  I  have,  confidered-  the  difuiter- 


Saints  in  Heaven.  225 

cfted  love  of  God,  and  the  humble  adoration  of  his  own 
matchlefs  inherent  excellence,  as  firft  both  in  order  and 
dignity,  which  it  onc^ht  to  be,  this  does  not  take  away,  or 
fupercede  a6ts  of  thankfgiving,  but  rather  lays  the  juflell 
and  nobleft  foundation  for  their  exercife  ;  becaufe  it  fub- 
je6ls  the  creature  to  the  Creator ;  keejjs  its  dependence 
and  obedience  continually  in  view,  and  greatly  inhanccs 
the  favors  bellowed  by  fuch  a  hand,  and  upon  fuch  objedls. 
Gratitude  for  the  goodnefs  of  God,  is  what,  furely,  we  may 
have  fome  conception  of,  even  in  this  Hate,  in  which  he 
loads  us  with  his  benefits,  and  in  which  every  moment  of 
our  continuance  is  a  proof  and  evidence  of  his  patience 
and  forbearance.  The  faints  efpecially,  who  have  learn- 
ed not  only  to  difcern  and  confefs  the  hand  that  fuftains 
them, but  to  acknowledge  God,  as  the  God  of  their  falvation, 
muil  underftand  what  it  is  to  praife  him  for  his  merciej. 
But  how  much  louder  muft  the  voice  of  praife  be  in 
heaven  than  in  earth  ?  The  mercies  for  whicn  they  give 
praife  are  incomparably  greater ;  fo  is  alfo  the  uniformity 
and  fecurity  of  their  pofTeffion.  What  is  the  richeft  and 
moll  gorgeous  attire,  the  mod  fumptuous  and  delicate 
fare,  which  this  world  can  afford,  compared  with  thofe 
rivers  of  pleafures  which  are  at  God's  right  hand  ?  How 
imperfe6l  are  all  the  enjoyments  of  this  flate,  by  reafon  of 
the  lufierings  and  forrows  that  are  mingled  with  them  ? 
We  are  apt  to  envy  one  another  through  ignorance  ;  but 
the  man  liveth  not  on  earth,  who  hath  not  fome  forrows 
to  allay  his  profperit^,  except,  perhaps,  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, when  the  mind  is  ingrofled,  and,  as  it  were,  intox- 
icated with  fome  late  acquifition.  Our  prefent  character  is 
fuch  as  doth  not  admit  of  perfect  happinefs.  liere  mull 
1^  the  fire  of  afflidlion  to  purge  away  the  drofs  of  fin. 
But,  in  the  world  to  come,  the  happinefs  of  the  faints  is 
perfect  and  unmixed,  for  the  people  fliall  be  all  righteous. 
So  it  is  faid,  in  the  words  immediately  following  the  text ; 
"  'I'hey  Ihall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirft  any  more, 
*'  neither  fliall  the  fun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  And, 
"  Rev.  xxi.  3,  4.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  Iiea- 
"  ven,  faying.  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
''  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  ihall  be  his  peo- 


2z6  The  Happiness  of  the 

"  pie,  and  God  himfelf  fliall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
*'  God:  and  God  fliall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
"  eyes  ;  and  there  lliall  be  no  more  death,  neither  forrow, 
"  nor  crying,  neither  fhall  there  be  any  more  pain  ;  for 
*'  the  former  things  are  palled  away."  The  precariouf- 
nefs  of  our  prefent  enjoyments  greatly  diminiflies  their 
I'alue  ;  they  are  very  uncertain  in  their  own  nature,  and 
our  continuance  with  them  is  equally  fo.  But,  in  heaven, 
there  Ihall  be  no  more  death,  the  inhabitants  fhall  go  no 
more  out :  and  their  enjoyments  fliall  be  fuch  as  can  nei- 
ther walle  nor  change.  How  animated,  then;  mufl  be 
the  praifes  of  the  higher  houfe,  efpecially  when  tile  reflec- 
tion upon  the  wretchednefs  and  precarioufnefs  of  their 
pall  ftate  mult  fo  greatly  improve  their  fenfe  of  the  riches 
and  fecurity  of  the  prefent  ?  Let  me  fuppofe  a  cafe,  which, 
indeed,  happens  every  day,  though  the  effect  of  it  is  not 
fully  difcernable  by  us  ;  fuppofe  a  poor  Chriltian,  perhaps, 
poor  in  this  world,  but  certainly  poor  in  fpirit,  v.'-ho  hath 
long  flruggled  with  the  evils  of  life,  who  hath  patiently 
endured  the  infulting  language,  and  difdainful  eye,  of  the 
proud  and  profperous,  nay,  which  is  far  v;orfe,  hath  been 
diltrelled  with  many  anxious  fears  concerning  his  own 
future  Itate ;  fuch  an  one,  taken  from  the  world,  how- 
amazing,  how  blelTed  the  change  !  from  an  earthly  cotr 
tage,  to  a  throne  of  glory  ;  from  a  defpifmg  world,  to  an 
approving  God  ;  from  a  frail,  difeafed,  dying  body,  to 
everlalHng  Itrength,  and  undecaying  beauty  !  how  mult 
his  mouth  be  filled  with  praifes,  when  the  days  of  his 
mourning  are  for  ever  ended  ? 

But  that  which  efpecially  ferves  to  enliven  the  praifes 
of  the  faints  in  heaven  is,  their  fenfe  of  their  own  unwor- 
thinefs  as  fmners  :  this  it  is  which  makes  all  the  gifts  of 
God  of  feven-fold  value,  they  are  all  of  free  unmerited 
grace  and  mercy.  Redemption !  Redemption  is  the 
theme  of  the  praifes  of  heaven,  Rev.  i.  5.  ''  Unto  him 
*'  thatlovedus,  andwafhedus  from  our  fms  in  his  own  blood. 
*'  Rev.  V.  9.  And  they  fung  a  new  fong,  faying  thou  art 
*'  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  feals  thereof : 
"  for  thou  wait  flain,  and  halt  redeemed  us  to  God  by 
"  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,' and  people. 


Saints  in  Heaven.  227 

"  and  nation."  Redemption  is  at  prefent  cai-elefsly 
fought  after,  and  coldly  acknowledged  ;  but  then  Ihali 
they  know  the  guilt  they  have  contra dted,  the  hell  they 
have  efcapcd,  the  glory  which  they  polfefs,  and  the  price  at 
which  it  was  bought.  Oh,  my  brethren !  how  light  a 
fenfe  of  the  evil  of  fin  has  the  moll  humbled  penitent  now, 
compared  to  what  he  fliall  have  in  heaven  !  how  light  a 
fenfe  of  the  mifery  of  the  impenitent,  compared  to  what 
he  fliall  have  after  he  has  heard  their  fentence  pronounced 
by  the  judge,  and  leen  them  go  away  into  everlafting  pu- 
niiliment !  how  fmall  a  value  does  he  put  upon  the  gift  of 
God,  eternal  life,  till  he  tafle  of  it !  and  how  weak  is  his 
love  to  God  in  Chrid,  whilft  it  is  only  kindled  by  faith, 
comjiared  to  what  it  fliall  be,  when  he  fees  the  Lamb  flain 
from  the  foundation  of  die  world  ! 

In  the  third  place,  Let  us  confiderthe  celeftial  worfliip, 
as  confiding  in  afts  of  defire.  There  is  much  of  this  in 
the  difpofitionof  the  people  of  God  on  earth,  they  fay  with 
the  prophet  Ifaiah,  ch.  xxvi.  8.  "  The  dcfire  of  our  foul 
*'  is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of  thee."  And 
as  every  agreeable  objed  is  the  more  defired,  the  more  it  is 
known;  fothe  clear  difcovery  that  is  made  in  heaven,  of  the 
glory  and  excellence  of  God,  and  the  delightfulcommunica- 
tions  of  his  love,  mufl  Hill  increafe  our  defire  of  further  and 
further  degrees  of  it ;  and  there  is  a  fulnefs,  both  in  the 
divine  nature  and  benignity,  that  can  never  be  exhaulled  : 
Earthly  things,  indeed,  to  which  we  often,  through  igno- 
rance, affix  an  erroneous  and  exceffive  value,  the  more 
they  are  known,  are  often  the  lefs  efteemed  ;  but  this  can 
never  take  place  where  the  object  cannot  be  efteemed  in 
proportion  to  its  worth,  becaufe  its  worth  can  never  be 
completely  difcovercd.  Perhaps  it  maybe  thought  im- 
proper to  include  defire  among  the  a6ls  of  celeftial  v/or- 
fliip,  as  there  the  happy  fouls  fliall  be  fo  fully  gratified,  in 
every  holy  inclination,  as  to  leave  no  room  for  any  fur- 
ther demand.  But  we  muft  confider  that  there  iliali  be 
room  foraneverlafting  progreflive  improvement  to  every 
finite  creature  ;  and  the  gradual  enicirgement  of  their  caj^-a- 
city  fhall  make  way  lor  thele  further  communication*  of 
divine  love. 


223  The  Happiness  of  the 

There  fliall,  indeed,  be  no  fuch  defire,  as  implies  any- 
anxious  or  impatient  craving.  This  is  ordinarily  pro- 
duced by  doubt,  or  difficulty  of  fupply,  which  can  have  no 
place  here  ;  but  their  may,  neverthelefs,  be  fuch  defire  as 
leads  to,  and  prepares  for,  the  continuance  or  increafe  of 
enjoyment.  It  is  natural  indeed  for  us,  from  our  prefent 
experience,  to  conceive,  that  defire  mufl  weaken  or  lef- 
fen  with  poffefiion,  as  it  is  chiefly  kept  up  by  variety  and 
novelty,  a  love  of  which  feems  to  be  fo  eflential  to,  and 
powerful  in  the  human  nature.  To  remove  this  appre- 
henfion,  I  obferve  thefe  two  things,  Firll,  That  in  the  in- 
finity of  the  divine  perfe6tions,  and  works,  there  is  fuf- 
iicient  diverfity  to  employ  and  gratify  a  finite  creature, 
through  all  eternity  ;  fo  that  if  it  pleafe  God  to  continue, 
after  the  refurreftion,  a  love  of  novelty,  or  any  difpofition 
fimilar  to  it,  he  is  well  able  to  provide  it  with  proper  ex- 
ercife. 

But,  fecondly.  It  appears  highly  probable,  that  the  love 
of  change,  fo  obfervable  in  human  nature,  is  more  owing 
to  the  vanity  of  created  enjoyments,  than  any  thing  ef- 
fential  to  us,  as  rational  fpirits ;  and,  therefore,  when  we 
enjoy  the  fubilance  infiead  of  the  Ihadow,  the  Creator  in- 
fteadof  the  creature,  the  caufe  being  gone,  the  effedl 
v/ill  ceafe  of  courfe.  And,  to  confirm  this,  we  may  ob- 
ferve, that  novelty  is  not  an  eflential  qualification  of  what 
pleafes  us  ;  for  habit  often  creates  as  ftrong  or  llronger  at- 
tachment to  what  v/e  have  long  known,  than  the  charms 
of  novelty  to  what  is  untried:  enjoym.ent  therefore  may, 
ia  fome  cafes,  excite  deiire.  And  if  this  is  the  cale,  fome- 
times,  on  earth,  there  is  all  reafon  to  think  it  will  be  al- 
ways fo  in  heaven.  May  I  not  ju ft  add,  that  v/e  find, 
from  or.r  prefent  imperfeft  experience,  that  a  life  of  hope 
and  activity,  when  there  is  fuitable  encouragement  and 
fuccefs,  from  time  to  time,  is  the  mod  agreeable  of  any 
that  can  be  conceived.  How  delightful  then  mufl:  be  both 
the  habitual  and  aftual  defires  of  the  faints  in  glory,  point- 
ed at  the  worthieil  objeds,  and  not  only  affured  of,  but 
conflantly  rev/arded  with,  complete  fatisfaftion  ! 

In  the  fourth  and  lall  place.  Let  us  confider  the  celeftlal 
vroriiiip,  as  confjiling  in  afts  of  truil  and  fubjeclion.     I 


Sai?ils  m  Hcavm.  229 

join  them  together,  becaufe  they  are  very  much  involved 
in,  and  founded  upon  one  another.  And  I  hsLve  men- 
tioned them  lafl,  becaufe  the  ifTue  of  every  fcrious  exercife 
of  a  behever's  foul,  of  every  act  of  connnunion  with  God, 
is  ordinarily  his  being  brought  to  a  compofed  trufl,  com- 
placency, and  acquiefcence  in  God,  a*s  his  fatisfying  por- 
tion ;  and  a  confccration  of  himfelf  and  his  all  to  God  in 
obedience  and  fubmiffion.  And  how  infinitely  more  com- 
plete, as  well  as  joyful,  mufl:  the  trull  and  fubmifiion  of 
the  laints  be  in  heaven  than  on  earth  !  If  even  here  they 
fay,  "  Though  he  flay  mc,  yet  will  I  truil  in  him.  It  is 
*'  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  feemeth  him  good  ;'*  how 
much  more  reafon  have  they  to  put  an  undiaken  trull  in 
God,  when  they  have  tailed  the  fruits,  of  his  love,  and  re- 
ceived the  proof  of  his  faithfulnefs,  in  the  a6tual  p'offefllon 
of  his  piomifes  ?  as  the  Pfalmill  fays,  Pfal.  ix.  10.  "  They 
*'  that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  trufl  in  thee." 

Thus  clear  difcoveries  of  God's  nature,  and  extenflve 
views  of  his  works  and  ways,  mufl  ellablifli  them  in  a  chear- 
ful  dependance  on  his  unchangeable  truth.  And,  O,  with 
what  a  readinefs,  or  rather  with  what  pleafure  and  alacri- 
ty, will  they  lefign  themfelves  to  his  will,  and  confecrate 
themfelves  to  his  fervice  !  There  will  then  be  no  remains 
of  the  carnal  mind  to  refufe  obedience,  or  of  an  impatient 
murmuring  fpirit,  to  complain  under  the  yoke ;  but  they 
will  be  as  the  angels,  his  miniflers  to  do  his  pleafure,  ready 
at  his  call,  and  earneftly  coveting  employment.  Obedi- 
ence will  be  their  prevailing  inclination,  and  the  formal 
exprefiion,  and  tender  of  it,  to  their  God  and  Redeemer, 
will  be  a  part  of  their  adtual  fervice. 

And,  now,  to  conclude  this  head,  you  may  obferve,  that 
I  could  not  avoid,  in  illuftrating  the  worfliip  of  the  faints 
in  heaven,  frequently  to  bring  in  view  their  habitual  frame 
and  conllaut  employment ;  but  I  hope  this  is  not  altoge- 
ther improper  ;  for  there  is  not,  by  far,  fo  great  a  differ-  . 
ence  between  their  afts  of  worfhip,  and  their  ordinary 
work,  as  between  ours  on  earth.  They  run  into  one 
another,  are  very  much  of  a  fimilar  nature ;  they  arc 
fhadowed  forth,  but  very  faintly,  in  the  Hate  of  that  man 
on  earth,  who  walks  with  God  all  the  day  long.     As  his 

Vol.  II.  2  F  ^ 


a 30  The  Happiness  of  the 

life  is  a  conftant  courfe,  either  of  vocal  or  mental  worfliip, 
fo,  in  a  higher  degree,  tb.ey  are  before  the  throne  of  God, 
and  scrijc  him  day  and  -night  in  his  temple. 

Let  us,  now,  in  the  fccond  place,  confider  the  worfliip 
of  the  faints  in  heaven,  as  it  is  exttjrnal  and  fenfible. 
That  there  is  fomething  even  external  and  fenfible  in  it, 
neceiTarily  follows  from  the  refurre6tion  of  the  body,  wliich 
is  fo  important  a  part  of  the  ChriHian  dodrine  :  for 
though  the  bodies  with  which  the  faints  fnall  be  clothed 
at  the  refurreftion,  fliall  exceedingly  differ  from  their  grofs 
bodies,  in  fplendor  and  beauty,  and,  pp.rticulary,  fhall  fo- 
far  excel  them  in  purity,  as  to  be  termed  by  the  apoflle 
Paul  1  Cor.  XY.  44.  "  Spiritual  bodies;"  yet,  if  they  be 
body  or  matter  at  ail,  they  mud  be  limited  to  fome  place, 
and  have  an  external  and  fenfible  form.  The  fame  thing 
appears  from  that  beautiful  paflage  in  tlie  book  of  Job,  ch, 
xix.  25.  "  For  I  knov/  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that 
*'  he  fliall  ftand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth." 

Further,  though  we  arc,  no  doubt,  taught,  in  fcripture, 
to  confider  heaven  more  as  a  nature  than  a  place,  yet  there 
is  evident  foundation,  from  feveral  expreffions,  to  fuppofe 
that  there  is  fome  portion  of  the  works  of  God  fet  apart  for 
that  purpofe,  and  adorned  with  fuch  a  vinbl«  glory,  as  is 
proper  to  afledl  the  imaginations  of  created  beings.  Thus 
there  is  mention  made  of  the  third  heaven,  the  highell 
heaven,  the  heaven  of  heavens.  See  alfo  Rev.  xxi.  i,  2. 
*'  And  I  faw  a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth ;  for  the  iirft 
*'  heaven  and  the  firfl  earth  were  palfed  away ;  and  there 
"  was  no  more  fea  ;  and  I  John  faw  the  holy  city,  new 
*'  Jerufalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  pre- 
*'  pared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  hulband."  And,  from 
the  19th  verfe  of  that  chapter  to  the  end,  it  is  defcribed 
in  fuch  terms,  as  naturally  fuggeft  to  us  the  greateft  glory 
and  magnificence. 

This  is  the  temple  of  God  in  which  his  fervants  fhall 
ferve  him,  in  which  we  may  fuppofe  the  general  alTembly 
of  the  church  of  the  firil  born  meet  together,  for  the 
joint  celebration  of  their  Creator  and  Redeemer's  praife. 
But  as  to  a  more  particular  account,  either  of  the  place  or 


Saints  in  Heaven.  231 

manner  of  the  worfliip  there  performed,  it  were  more  ea- 
iy  to  form  amiifnig  jind  curious  fpeculatlons,  than  to  fix 
upon  any  thing  folic!  and  certain.  In  this,  as  indeed  in 
every  other  part  of  tlie  heavenly  ilate  and  employment, 
comparative  refledTiJons  are  moft  to  be  depended  on.  And 
furely,  if  in  this  lower  world,  and  that  part  of  the  creation, 
which  is  at  prefent,  fubjec^ied  to  our  viev»',  there  is  fo  much 
order  and  beauty,  fo  much  fplendor  and  magnificence, 
though  it  be  the  abode  of  guilty  creatures,  under  manifell 
tokens  of  divhic  dilplcailire,  v/hat  muft  be  the  uncicudcd 
lulhe,  and  perfe6i  beauty,  of  that  place  where  the  glory 
of  almighty  God  is  peculiarly  difplayed,  and  which  was 
prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  obje-fls  of  his  fptclal  love, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world  ?  It"  the  fcvcrai  fcnfcs, 
with  which  we  are  now  endued,  are  capable  of  affording 
us  fo  exqulfite  a  pleafure  in  their  prefent  gratification,  not- 
withftanding  their  a})parent  difordcr,  how  liigh  and  ravifli- 
ing  a  delight  may  they  communicate  when  they  are  re- 
fined and  purified,  furnifhcd  wi!:h  their  proper  objcfts, 
and  freed  from  that  infatiablenefs,  and  tendency  to  excels, 
which  is  the  fruit  of  fin,  the  evidence  of  a  corrupted  frame, 
and,  as  a  mixture  of  gall,  poifons  every  vrcrldly  joy  ?  It 
is  worth  cbfervadon,  upor*  this  fubjeft,  that  the  happinefs 
of  the  faints  is  many  times  defcribed  in  fcripturc,  by  their 
external  circumllances  and  i)ofition,  fo  to  i'peak,  and  by 
lenfible  gratifications ;  as  by  fitting  upon  thrones,  at  the 
right  hand  of  God;  by  a  city  highl}>  adorned;  by  a  river 
of  v/ater  of  life  ;  a  tree  of  life,  bearing  twelve  manner  of 
fruits.  And  his  fervice  is  defcribed  by  the  melody  of  fongs 
of  praife,  and  even  by  inftrumental  mufic,  Rev.  xv.  2. 
where  m.-ntlo»n  is  made  of  the  harps  of  God.  Now,  though 
God  forbid  that  we  aiould  underltand  thcfe  exprelTions  in 
fuch  a  manner,  as  to  fuppofc  that  the  erijoyments  of  the 
faints  above  have  any  thing  in  them  refembling  the  grofs- 
nefs  of  prefent  fenfual  iivlulgence,  yet  we  m:;y,  with  fafe- 
ty,  concliKle,  that,  as  the  body  lliall  then  join  in  the  fer- 
vice of  God,  it  fliall  be  inllrumental  in  perceiving  the 
pleafure  of  it ;  and  that  a  fcnfe  and  perception  of  the  beau- 
ty and  gi'andeur  of  diat  temple  of  the  living  God,  in  which 
^ey  ofier  up  their  ctlcftial  facrifices,  fliall  increafe  and 


23 2  The  Happmess  of  the 

enliven  their  gratitude  to,  and  adoration  of  him,  who  rai- 
fed  the  glorious  fabric. 

But  the  external  circumftance,  which,  in  my  apprehen- 
fion,  will  contribute  moft  to  the  delight  and  happinefs  of 
the  faints,  in  their  heavenly  worfhip,  will  be  their  union 
and  fociety  in  it.  Man  is  evidently  framed  for  deriving 
his  chief  happinefs  in  this  ftate  from  fGciet3\  It  never 
was,  and  never  V;  ill  be  good  for  man  to  live  alone.  So- 
cial worfhip  is  peculkrly  acceptable  to  God,  as  might  be 
fliewn  from  many  paflkges  of  fcripture.  Math,  xviii.  19, 
20.  "  Again,  I  fay  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you  iliall  agree 
'-'■  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they  fliall  aik,  it 
"  ihall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
*-^  For  where  two  or  three  arc  gathered  together  in  my 
"  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midft  of  them."  Pfai.  Ixxxvii. 
2.  "  The  Lord  loveth  the  gates  of  Zion,  more  than 
*'  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob."  And  doth  not  the  ex- 
perience of  every  one  of  th©fe  who  love  the  habitation 
of  God's  houfe,  and  the  place  v/hcre  his  honor  dwelleth, 
teftify  v/hat  an  elevation  of  foul,  and  enlargement  of  heart, 
they  obtain  by  mingling  their  voices  in  his  praile  ?  As 
united  fires  brighten  each  others  blaze,  as  many  con- 
cordant founds  make  the  finer  harmony,  fo  the  union  of 
many  hearts,  in  divine  worfhip,  malies  the  higher  fpiritu- 
al  melody,  not  only  more  grateful  to  God,  but  more  de- 
lightful to  themfelves.  The  pleafure  of  this  is,  indeed, 
greatly  allayed  on  earth,  by  a  mixture  of  difcordant  notes 
(to  continue  the  former  allufion)  of  enemies  with  friends. 
But  allow  me  to  make  a  fuppofition,  that  all  within  thefe 
walls,  this  evening,  were  perfedlly  upright  with  God,  and 
that  our  mutual  fincerity  v/sre  perfedlly  known  to  each 
other,  what  inexprelTible  fervency,  and  rapture  of  fpirit, 
Vv^ould  it  give  to  every  one,  in  fingir^g  the  praifes  of  God, 
and  of  the  Lamb,  to  confider  himfelf  as  joined  with  fueh  a 
number  of  pure,  holy,  bieffed,  redeemed  fouis  ?  But  how 
nmch  beyond  conception  will  tliis  be  increafed,  when  we 
meet  with  the  innumerable  company  of  the  redeemed 
above,  and  all  our  pious  fathers,  who,  many  ages  before 
this,  ferved  our  common  Mafier ;  many,  we  hope,  who 
kept  holy  days,  in  tliis  very  place,  and  vv'hofe  bodies  now 


Saints  in  Heaven.  233 

fleep  In  the  duft  under  our  feet,  and  around  us  ;  nay,  when 
all,  irom  the  eaft  and  from  the  welt,  Ihall  be  completely- 
gathered  hi,  when  every  heart  Ihall  agree  with  every  tongue, 
and  falvation  to  the  Lamb  fliall  be  the  univerfal,  delightful, 
repeated,  acclamation  ?  There  are  two  paflages  of  I'crip- 
ture  which  fpeak  of  the  multitude,**and  employment  of  this 
glorious  company,  which  ought  never  to  be  read  without  a 
holy  and  delightful  reverence.  Rev.  v.  9,  15.  '*  And 
*'  they  fung  a  new  fong,  faying,  thou  art  worthy  to  take 
**  the  book,  and  to  open  the  feals  thereof:  for  thou  waft 
"  (lain,  and  hafl  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of 
•'  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  ; 
"  and  the  four  beafts  faid  Amen.  And  the  four  and  twen- 
"  ty  elders  fell  down,  and  worfliipped  him  that  liveth  for 
"  ever  and  ever."  Rev.  vii.  9,  12.  "  After  this,  I  beheld, 
"  and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number, 
"  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
"  flood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
"  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands ;  faying, 
"  Amen,  bleliing,  and  glory,  and  wifdom,  and  thankfgiv- 
"  ing,  and  honor,  and  power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  God, 
*'  forever  and  ever,  Amen." 

r  proceed,  now,  to  conclude  the  fubjeft,  by  fome  prac- 
tical improvement  of  what  has  been  laid.  And  can  we 
refufe  to  begin,  by  praifmg  God  for  his  unfpeakable  love, 
and  matchlefs  condefcenfion  ?  The  whole  work  of  our 
redemption  is  wonderful ;  but,  in  a  particular  manner, 
the  conclufion  of  it :  that  we  fhould  not  only  have  our 
clothes  wafhed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  but  fliould  be 
before  the  throne  ofGod^  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in 
his  temple.  At  the  dedication  of  the  temple  of  Solomon, 
that  wilb  and  pious  prince  breaks  out  into  an  exprellion 
of  holy  admiration  and  aftonifliment,  and  fays,  2  Chron. 
vi.  18.  "  But  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  on 
"  the  earth?  Behold,  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens 
"  cannot  contain  thee  ;  how  much  lefsthis  houfe  which  I 
**  have  built  ?"  How  much  greater  reafon  have  we  to  lay, 
when  recollecting  our  guilt  and  unworthinefs,  "  and 
'*  fliaJI  men  in  Tery  deed  dwell  with  God  in  heaven  :" 


234  ^^  Happiness  of  the 

how  amazing  the  diftance  !  how  glorious  the  dwelling  and 
employment !  and  how  mean  the  invited  giieils  !  Let 
us  take  confufion  of  face  to  ourfelves,  and  acknowledge, 
that  this  cannot  be  accounted  for,  but  by  the  propitiation 
and  purchafe  of  the  eternal  Sen  of  God,  as  the  ©nly  foim- 
dation  of  our  hope.  Let  us,  in  the  view  of  every  privi- 
lege, renev/  the  exercife  of  faith  in  him,  as  giving  us  a 
title  to  it ;  and,  on  this  occafion,  particulaidy,  beg  of 
him  to  lead  us,  by  his  Spirit,  through  all  the  neceffary 
fleps  of  previous  preparation,  and  at  lall  receive  us  into 
his  glory. 

In  die  fecond  place,  from  what  has  been  faid,  you  may 
fee  the  importance  and  beneht  of  the  v/orfaip  and  fervice 
of  Gad  on  earth.  If  this  ftate  is  a  ftate  of  trial  and  pre- 
pai'ation  for  that  which  is  to  follow  it,  and  the  wor&ip  of 
God  is  fo  great  a  part  of  the  employment,  and  fo  great  a 
fource  of  the  happinefs  of  the  faints  above,  it  is  plain,  that 
his  worfhip  on  earth  muft  be  of  the  higheft  ufefulnefs.  It 
is  not  only  an  unqueftionable  duty,  but  it  is  manifeftly 
neceflary  to  fit  us  for,  and  habituate  us  to  the  heavenly 
exercife.  It  is  plain  from  the  whole  analogy  of  provi- 
dence, that  a  preparation  of  nature  is  neceffary  for  the 
poiTeflion  and  enjoyment  of  any  fcate.  We  fee,  even  in 
natural  things,  that  fov/ing,  and  a  long  time  of  gradual 
nourifliment,  is  necelTary  to  the  ftrength  and  confiitency 
of  any  plant  or  tree  ;  and  that,  according  to  tiie  feed,  fo  is 
the  producLiori.  This  the  apofUe  very  ftrongly  applies^ 
Gal.  vi.  7.  ""^  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked  ;  for 
"  v/hatfoever  a  man  foweth,  that  fhall  he  aifo  reap."  Thefft 
that  expect  to  ferve  God  in  his  temple  above,  muft  be  ha- 
bituated to  ferve  him  in  his  church  on  eardi.  This  is  the 
feed-time ;  then  is  the  harveft.  The  houfe  of  God  is  the 
place  both  of  the  biith  and  nourifnment  of  his  people, 
Pfal.  Ixxxvii.  5.  "  And  of  Zion  it  fliall  be  faid,  this  and 
*'  that  man  was  born  in  her  ;  and  the  higheft  hinuelf  Hiall 
"  eilablifii  her." 

Therefore  fuffer  me,  my  brethren,  to  reprove  the  fin, 
and  fliow  the  danger  of  thofe,  who  altogether  neglect  and 
defpife  the  worfliip  of  God.  If  chance,  imitation,  curio- 
fity,  or  a  worfe  motive,  has  brought  to  this  audience,  any 


Saints  in  Heaven,  X35 

TK'ho  are  habitual  dcfpiiers  of  the  worfliip  of  God,  I  hereby 
aflure  them,  in  his  name,  that,  unlefs  they  change  their 
heart  and  pra6lice,  in  heaven  they  iliall  never  dwell,  be- 
Caufe  its  employment  they  do  not  love.  It  is  both  the 
evidence  and  caale  of  the  degeneracy  of  many  in  this  age, 
that  they  have  fallen  into  a  neglect  and  contempt  of  the 
public  worfliip  of  God  ;  that,  in  their  notions  of  religion, 
when  they  form  any  at  all,  they,  in  a  great  meafure,  leave 
out  their  duty  to  their  Maker,  and  confine  it  only  to  a 
few  of  the  ordinary  offices  due  from  one  man  to  another. 
Experience,  indeed,  plainly  fhows  the  weaknefs  and  fee- 
blenefs  of  thefc  virtues  that  are  not  enlivened  and  anima- 
ted by  piety  towards  God ;  and  that  it  is  as  poiTibIc  to 
uphold  the  fuperfcru6lure,  by  taking  away  the  foundation, 
to  preferve  the  vigor  and  verdure  of  tJie  branches  of  a  tree, 
by  feparating  them  from  the  root,  as  to  preferve  and  fe- 
cure  any  regularity  of  conduct,  v/ithout  a  principle  of 
divine  life,  of  vital,  fpiritual  union  with  God  througk 
Chrift ;  but  what,  in  a  particular  manner,  fhows  the  folly 
of  all  fuch,  is  their  relation  to  eternity.  Suppofmg  their 
practice  were  every  way  fit  and  proper  for  this  world, 
liow  does  it  agree  ^v'ith  the  employment  of  heaven  ?  Doth 
not  confcience  tell  you,  that  you  have  neither  right  nor 
relifh,  nor  even  capacity  for  it,  and,  by  nccefiaiy  con- 
fequence,  are  under  a  fentencc  of  condemnation,  *'  chil- 
"  dren  of  wrath,  and  heirs  of  hell  ?"  for  there  is  no  mid- 
dle ftate.  I  befeech  you  therefore,  nay,  obteft  you,  in 
the  mofl  folemn  manner,  that  you  henceforth  honor  God 
in  his  houfe  and  ordinances,  if  you  expe<Sl  that  ever  he 
fliould  honor  you  :  and,  remember,  that  this  warning, 
which  you  have  received  by  the  wife  difpofal  of  his  pro- 
vidence, will  be  an  aggravation  of  your  guilt,  if  you  nc- 
gle6l  and  defpife  it. 

I  cannot  help,  alfo,  upon  this  occafion,  putting  you  in 
mind  of  the  neglefted  duty  of  worfhipping  God  in  your 
families.  Tliefe  fmaller  foeieties,  in  which  the  members 
are  conneCled  by  the  llrongeft  tics,  and  Hand  in  the  near- 
cit  and  moft  endearing  relations  to  one  anotlier,  how  pro- 
per are  thcj  for  the  joint  worfliip  of  God  ?  and  how  great 
is  the  fm  of  neglecting  it  ?  How  can  you  expect  any  thing 


2^6  The  Happiness  of  the 

elfe,  but  either  an  angry  providence,  or  hardening  and 
ftupifying  profperity,  which  is  infinitely  worfe,  iinlefs 
you  call  on  the  name  of  God  ?  whereas,  by  mingling  your 
voices  in  his  praifes  qvl  earth,  you  prepare  yourfelves  for 
his  fervice  in  heaven.  I  cannot  go  through  all  the  excu- 
fes  offered  for  this  negled  ;  but  wo  fliall  be  to  that  man, 
who  is  too  bufy,  too  proud,  or  too  modeft,  to  worfnip,  in 
his  family,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  who 
made  him  by  his  power,  and  upholds  him  by  his  provi- 
dence. 

In  the  third  place.  Let  me  improve  th's  fubjei^  for  the 
trial   of  thofe  whofe   ilate   is   more  doubtful.     However 
many  open  enemies  there  are  to  religion  in  tnefe  days,  it 
is  to  be  lamented,  that  there   are  many  aifo,  who  conti- 
nue their  attendance  upon  the  ordinances  oi  God,,  but  in 
a  cold  and  formal   manner,   and  relling  upon  tue  form, 
without   the    power,    lay  themfelves   alleep  in  fecurity. 
Bring  yourfelves  to  the  teft,  then,  and  fuffer  coiifcience 
to  difcover  the  truth,  however  painful   and   mortifying. 
Is  there  any  of  you,  who  has  heard  of  the  employment  of 
the    faints  above,    as    coniifling   in   the  fervice  of  God, 
who  are  not  able  to  conceive  the  happincfs  or  delight  of 
fuch  work  ?     Is  there  any  among  you,   who  weary  of  the 
fervice  of  God,  not  from  weaknefs  of  body,    but   from 
averfion  of  mind,  who,  immediately   after,  i-eturn  to  the 
v/orid,  and  its  enjoyments,  with  cagernefs,   and  lightnefs 
of  mind,  like  a  bullock,  when  he  is  loofed  from  the  yoke  ? 
Such  have  good  reafon  to  fufpeft  their  condition,  and  to 
fear,  that  they  are   unrenewed   in  heart.     But,  I  hope, 
there  are  not  a  few,  who,  from  their  heart,  call  the  Sab- 
bath, "  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the   Lord,  and  honorable  j 
^'  who  elleem  a  day  in  God's  courts  better  than  a  tliou- 
''  fand  ;"  vd'.ofe  higheft  joy  it  is,  to  have  their  hearts  cap- 
tivated v/itli  his  love,  and  their  aitedlions  enlare;ed  in  his 
praiie  ;   and  whofe  indifpofition   often  to   this   work,  by 
lloth  or  workllinefs  of  mind,  is  their  greaten;  grief.     Such, 
my  brethren,  have  good  reafon  to    look  forward  to  that 
happy  time,  when  they   Ihall  ferve  him  with  unwearied 
vigor  and  alacrity  ;  and  fhall  behold  the  im^^Lt  of  his  coun- 
tenance without  one  mortifying  frown. 


Saints  in  Hca'oen.  237 

In  the  fourth  place,  I  would  improve  this  fubjcdl  for 
the  confolation  of  the  aiflifted.  The  hope  of  glory  is  the 
true  and  proper  fourcc  of  eonfolation  ;  whether  your  for- 
row  arifes  frem  fuffering,  or  from  fin  ;  for  both  thefe  ihall 
be  perfe6l  Ilrangers  to  the  happy  abode  of  the  faints  above. 
If  you  are  under  the  anxiety  of  worldly  care,  the  oppref- 
fion  and  reproach  of  the  ungodly,  the  attacks  of  ficknefs, 
the  gradual  loofcning  of  the  pins  of  this  feeble  tottering 
frame ;  if  thel'c  weaken  the  (Irength,  and  mar  the  melody 
of  your  prefent  fongs,  and  compel  you  to  mix  your 
praifes  with  groans,  remember,  that,  in  a  lliort  time,  thefe 
complaints  will  be  at  an  end,  the  harps  of  God  will  be 
given  you,  and  fliill  to  handle  them.  If  a  fenfe  of  in- 
herent corruption,  if  grief  for  an  abfent  or  an  angry 
God,  make  your  hands  to  hang  down,  exeit  the  hope  of 
being  made  not  only  perfectly  happy,  but  perfectly  holy, 
and  ferving  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple. 

Tills  leads  me,  in  the  lail  place.  To  direct  you,  to 
improve  this  fubje6l  for  animating  your  prefent  devotion. 
Nothing  is  more  proper  for  this  purpofe,  than  the  lively 
hope,  or  rather  anticipation  of  the  heavenly  employment. 
Let  us  overcome  our  prefent  lloth,  by  entering,  in  faith 
and  hope,  within  the  vail,  and  confidering  hov/  we  fliall 
then  praife  him:  then  there  fliall  be  no  wandering  thought, 
no  cold  heart,  no  faultering  tongue,  no  flagging  fpirits. 
And,  as  without  all  queftion,  fome  are  here  prefent,  not 
a  few,  I  would  charitably  hope,  who  Ihall  enter  into  that 
temple  of  the  living  God  ;  fo  we  know  not  how  foon  any 
of  us  may  be  fent  for,  to  leave  this  worldly  fanftuar}--, 
to  be  above  the  ufe  of  prefent  ordinances,  and  to  join  the 
innumerable  company  about  the  throne.  In  the  profpeiSl 
of  this,  Pfal.  cxlix.  i,  2.  '*■ — Let  us  fmg  unto  the  Lord  a 
"  new  fong,  and  his  praife  in  the  congregation  of  faints. 
"  Let  Ifrael  rejoice  in  him  that  made  him  ;  let  the  chil- 
*'  dren  of  Zion  be  iovful  in  their  Kin'7."     Amen. 


Vol,  II.  2  S 


[     239    ] 


I  >««l  MW  MM  MM  MM  MM  *M>  ••••  caw  e»«0  :  OOM  • 


MINISTERIAL  FIDELITY  in  declaring  thi 
WHOLE  COUNSEL  ©i  GOD. 

A 

SERMON. 

A  Farewell  Difcourfe,  delivered  at  Paifley,  May,  1768. 


Acts,  xx.  26,  27. 

Wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day^  that  I  am  pure 
fr§m  the  blood  of  all  men :  for  I  have  not  shunned  to 
declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God, 

My  Brethren, 

THESE  words  are  a  part  of  the  apoflle  Paul's  dif- 
courfe to  the  elders  of  Ephefus,  when  taking  leave 
of  them,  under  a  firm  perfuafion,  or  radicr  a  certain  know- 
ledge, that  he  would  never  again  fee  them  in  the  body. 
My  prefent  fituation,  of  which  none  of  you  is  ignorant, 
has  determined  me  to  the  choice  of  this  pafTage,  as  a  very 
proper  fubjeft,  from  which  I  may  conclude  the  exercifc 
of  my  miniflry  among  you.  I  had  once  occafion,  on 
leaving  another  charge,  to  have  taken  a  formal  farewel  of 
a  very  aftedionate  people,  but  had  not  courage  to  attempt 
it.  The  circumftances  attending  the  removal,  which,  if 
Providence  prevent  not,  feems  now  to  be  at  hand,  are  fuch 
as  do  not  lelfen,  but  greatly  increafe  the  difficulty  of  fpeak- 
ing  from  fucli  a  fubjecl:.     And  yet,  in  another  view,  the} 


24*  M'mhterial  Fidelity  in  declaring' 

feemed  to  urge  it  fo  ftrongly,  and  to  prefent  fuch  an  op- 
portunity of  being  ufefal,  as  I  durfl  not  wholly  decline. 
Every  Chrillian  ought  to  be  an  obferver  of  providence. 
Nothing  will  more  efFe6tually  promote  his  holinefs  and 
comfort.  And  both  a  miniller  and  his  people  ought  to 
improve  the  af|3e6t  of  providence,  when  it  hath  anything 
peculiar  in  it,  to  their  mutual  benefit. 

Let  me  therefore,  intreat  you  to  attend  to  the  following 
difcourfe,  with  patience  and  compofure.  This  requeft  I 
the  rather  hope  you  will  comply  with,  as  there  is  nothing 
intended  that  is  perfonal,  further  than  muft  neceffarily 
arife  from  the  fubjedl  itfelf,  or  be  unavoidably  fuggefted  by 
your  own  thoughts.  I  blefs  God  that  I  have  no  com- 
plaint to  make  of  want  of  duty,  or  afFed^ion  upon  your 
iide  ;  neither  is  it  any  part  of  my  purpofe  to  juftify  my 
own  conduft,  during  the  time  that  I  have  had  the  honor 
and  happinefs  of  being  intrulled  with  the  miniflry  of  the 
gofpel  in  this  place.  I  fhall  therefore  only  fay,  that  whe- 
ther I  have  been  able  to  deliver  my  ov/n  foul,  by  fidelity 
in  duty,  and  by  purity  of  principle,  I  am  ceriain,  that 
very  much  has  been  laid  to  the  charge  of  many  of  yours. 
Leaft  of  all  do  I  intend  to  endeavor  to  fatisfy  you  of  the 
motives  ivhich  have  induced  me  to  accept  of  a  call  to  a 
diilant  part  of  the  world,  and,  in  fome  degree,  a  different 
employment  in  the  church  of  Chrift.  For  this,  1  know 
that  an  account  muft  be  given,  in  due  tirce,  to  a  much 
greater  Judge,  with  whofe  approbation  either  the  applauie 
or  cenfure  of  men  are  not  worthy  to  be  laid  in  the  balance. 
The  fmgle  purpofe,  therefore,  of  the  following  difcourfe, 
fliall  be  to  give  you  fuch  a  comprehenfive  view  of  the 
truths  of  the  everlafting  gofpel, — of  the  importance  and 
difficulty  of  a  minifter's  work;  as  may  dire£t  you  in  the 
choice  of  another  pallor, — increafe  your  elleem  of  fuch  as 
are  faithful, — and  excite  you  to  guard  againft  every  thing 
that  may  either  difcourage  them  in  their  work,  or  prevent 
their  fuccefs. 

The  apoHle  Paul  had  planted  the  church  of  Ephefus, 
and  he  had  fpent  a  part  of  his  time  there,  very  confiderable, 
if  we  confider  the  extent  of  his  commiffion,,  and  his  many 
apoflolic  journies  to  different  parts  of  the  world.     In  the 


the  vjhole  Counsel  of  God.  341 

whole  of  his  difcoiirfe,  to  the  elders  of  that  church,  whom 
he  had  fent  for  in  his  paflapje  to  Rome,  we  fee  tlic  greateii 
tendemefs  and  aftedlion,  and  an  carncn:  concern,  to  en- 
grave upon  their  hearts  the  truths  which  he  had  taugiit 
them  while  refiding  there.  And,  in  the  words  of  the  text, 
you  fee  the  foundation  on  which  he  takes  them  to  record, 
that  he  WaZ  fr  ce  from  the  blood  of  all  men  ;  Joi\  fays  he, 
/  bcroe  not  shtmtied  to  declare  tnito  you  all  the  counsel  of 
God.  T  omit  ever}'  thing  that  might  be  occafionally  intro- 
duced from  the  text,  or  context,  fiich  as  minificrs  bein^; 
chargeable  with  the  blood  of  thofe  who  perifli  by  their  iie- 
gleft,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  gofptl  bting  the  counfel  of 
God,  that  I  may  fix  your  attention,  where  ceitainly  the 
emphafis  of  this  declaration  lies,  viz.  That  he  had  de- 
clared to  them  all  the  counsel  of  God^  and  that  he  had  not 
shunned  to  do  fo,  or  that  he  had  not  been  deterred,  by 
any  difficulties,  from  the  faithful  difcharge  of  his  truih 
Therefore,  in  difcourfing  further,  on  this  fubje^t,  I  will 
endeavor,  through  divine  afliftance, 

I.  To  confider  the  fidelity  of  a  minifier,  as  confifting 
in  a  full  and  complete  declaration  of  the  counfel  of  God. 

II.  To  confider  the  difficulties  which  may  lie  in  his 
way,  or  tempt  him  to  shun  any  part  of  his  work. 

III.  To  make  a  particular  improvement  of  the  fubje(ft, 
by  giving  you  my  parting  advices,  in  the  fpirit  of  this  paf- 
fage,  and  in  a  way,  to  the  befl  of  my  judgment,  fuited  to 
your  fituation. 

Firfl  then.  Let  us  confider  the  fidelity  of  a  mlniftcr,  rs 
confifting  in  a  full  and  complete  declaration  of  the  coui;fel 
of  God.  This  is  a  circumfiance  which  the  apollle  feems 
to  have  laid  particular  firel's  upon,  in  his  difcourfe  to  the 
elders  of  Ephefus,  as  he  not  only  refis  his  folemn  appeal 
to  themfelves,  in  this  pafiage,  upon  it,  but  had  mentioned 
it  before,  verfcs,  20,21.  "  And  how  I  have  kept  back 
''  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you,  but  have  Ihewed 
"  you,  and  have  taught  you  publicly,  and  from  houfe  to 
*'  lioufc,  teflifying  both  to  the  Jews,  and  alio  to  the  Greeks, 
"  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  tov/ard  our  Lord  Je- 


2  42  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

"  fns  Chrill."  It  is,  indeed,  a  circumflance  of  the  utmofl 
moment,  as  tninifters  may  be  fuppofed  much  more  ready 
to  fall  ihort  in  this  refpe6l  than  in  any  other.  It  is  probable 
that  many  more  are  chargeable  with  concealing  truth, 
than  affirming  falfhood  ;  with  neglecting  duty,  than  com- 
mitting crimes  ;  with  not  building  the  houfe,  than  wilful- 
\y  piilliag  it  down.  Agreeably  to  this,  we  find  the  charge 
of  the  prophet,  againft  unfaithful  fhepherds,  is  chiefly  or 
©nly  for  neoledl  of  duty,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  2,  3,  4.  "  Son 
*•'  of  man,  protoiiefy  againll  the  fhepherds  of  Ifrael,  prophe- 
"  ij  and  fay  unto  them,  thus  faith  the  Lord  God  unto  the 
*■'  fhepherds,  wo  be  to  the  fhepherds  of  Ifrael,  that  do  feed 
*'  themfeives  :  Ihould  not  the  fliepherds  feed  the  flocks  ? 
'*  Ye  eat  the  fat,  and  ye  cloths  you  with  the  wool,  ye  kill 
**•  them  that  are  fed :  but  ye  feed  not  the  floek  :  the  dif- 
"  ealiid  have  ye  not  llrengtliened,  neither  have  ye  healed 
"  tliat  which  was  fick,  neither  have  ye  bound  up  that 
*^  which  v/as  broken,  neither  have  ye  brought  again  that 
"■  v/liich  was  driven  away,  neither  haVe  ye  fought  that 
"  which  was  loft,  but  with  force  and  with  cruelty  have  ye 
*•*•  ruled  them."  But  that  you  m,ay  have  as  comprehenfive 
a  view  as  pciTible,  of  the  charafter  of  a  faithful  minifler, 
given  in  the  text,  obferve,  that  integrity  in  declaring  al^ 
the  counfel  of  God,  implies  the  foliovi'ing  particulars. 

I.  Declaring  all  the  truths  of  God,  without  any  excep- 
tions. The  revealed  will  of  God  is  of  great  extent  and 
compafs.  It  takes  in  all  that  we  are  to  believe  concerning 
God,  and  all  the  duty  v/hicti  God  requires  of  man.  It 
gives  us  an  account  of  the  original,  and  of  the  fallen  flate 
of  man  ;  of  the  early  purpofe  of  divine  mercy,  and  the 
fteps  that  were  taken,  from  age  to  age,  in  carry?  i:g  it  into 
execution;  of  the  perfon,  undertaking,  and  fufferings  of 
the  Saviour;  of  his  laws  as  a  teacher,  and  his  dominion 
as  a  king.  Together  with  all  tliis,  we  have  a  hillory  of 
Providence,  and  many  fpecial  examples,  inllru(flions,  a.nd 
warnings  of  the  moft  particular  kind.  Now,  my  brethren, 
he  who  would  declaj'e  all  the  coumel  of  God^  mufl  pay  a 
due  regard  to  every  part,  and,  as  far  as  time  and  health 
is  given  him,  endeavor  to  make  his  people  acquainted 
ividi  the  whole.     This,  to  be  lure,  cannet  be  done  all  at 


the  •whole  Counsel  of  God.  24J; 

•nee,  and  at  the  fame  time.  Doubtlefs  tlicre  are  foiwe 
truths  of  more  importance  than  others.  As  the  foundation 
mult  be  laid  before  the  flru^lure  can  be  railed,  and  tl^e 
foundation  and  the  corner  (lones  are  of  more  moment  than, 
the  finifliings  of  the  furface  :  yet  there  is  a  mutual  fubfer- 
viency  of  every  one  in  its  place  to  another,  and  not  the 
leaft  can  be  wholly  omitted  with-out  a  real  injury  to  thofe 
that  are  retained. 

There  is  a  prccioufnefs  in  every  truth  that  hath  th« 
ftamp  of  divine  authority  upon  it ;  and,  therefore,  to  ne- 
glect any  of  them,  and  count  them  trifling,  or  of  little 
moment,  argues  a  want  of  reverence  for  the  word  of  God. 
The  holy  fcriptures,  as  they  are  full  and  complete,  con- 
taining every  thing  that  is  neceflary ;  fo  they  are  perfe<9; 
and  faultlefs,  containing  nothing  that  is  unneceffary.  Se- 
rious perfons  have  often  borne  teflimony  to  tht  great  utllit)'- 
of  fuch  parts  of  the  facred  oracles,  as  arc  commonly  treat- 
ed with  moll  indifference.  Nay,  I  cannot  help  thinking, 
that  the  veneration  due  to  God,  who  doth  nothing  in  vain, 
obliges  us  to  believe  the  utility  even  of  thofe  paffages 
whofe  purpofe  we  ourfelves  may  not  as  yet  have  -clearly 
perceived. 

They  are  therefore  greatly  to  be  blamed  who  are  at  no 
pains  to  make  known  the  counfel  of  God,  in  its  full  ex- 
tent ;  but  how  much  more  thofe  who  fatisfy  themfelves 
with  infixing  upon  fome  things,  which  may  be  mofl  agree- 
able to  their  own  talle  and  difpofition,  to  the  entire  ne- 
gletl  of  others  that  are  perhaps  of  equal  or  of  greater  mo- 
ment ?  We  fee  this  happen  too  frequently,  that  things 
which  fill  almofi:  every  page  in  the  holy  fcriptures  can 
fcarce  obtain  a  place  in  many  fcrmons.  We  fee  fome, 
indullrioufly  avoid  the  truths  of  the  everlafling  gofpel,  and 
others  the  duties  of  the  moral  law.  The  evil  of  this  is  the 
greater,  that  there  is  fuch  a  relation  between  the  fevcral 
parts  of  God's  revealed  will,  that  if  any  one  is  lefi;  out, 
every  view  given  of  the  rell  mull  be  not  only  partial  but 
unjuft.  He  who  truly  underftands  the  fcriptures,  will 
foon  perceive,  that  there  is  fuch  an  infeparableconne<^i(?n 
between  one  truth  and  another,  that  you  can  hardly  ad- 
mit one  without  admitting  or  reje(^ing  tiie  whole ;  and 


244  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

that  none  of  tliem  can  be  withdrawn,  or  concealed,  with- 
out a  manifefl  injury  to  the  beauty  and  fuhiefs  of  the  ge- 
neral fy  lie  m. 

But,  of  all  others,  the  moft  wonderfiil  fet  of  men  are 
thofe,  who  are  for  concealing  fome  of  the  trutlis  of  God, 
left  they  fiiould  be  abufed.  The  fovereignty  of  God,  his 
eternal  purpofe  and  the  freenefs  of  his  grace,  are  often 
palled  by,  under  this  ridiculous  pretence.  I  would  def- 
pife  the  wifdom  of  fuch  perfons  ;  it  is  arrogance ;  it  is 
impiety.  I  do  not  know  any  truth  that  cannot  be  abufed 
by  perverfe  and  corrupt  minds,  or  that  has  not,  in  many 
inftances,  been  abufed.  But  is  this  a  reafon  for  conceal- 
ing them  ?  No.  I  would  preach  them  openly  ;  I  would 
preach  them  fully ;  I  would  endeavor  to  guard  them 
againft  the  abufe ;  and  let  fmners  know,  that,  if  they  wreft 
the  good  word  of  God,  they  do  it  to  their  own  dellrudtion. 
Oh !  that  there  were  more  fubjeftion  of  mind  to  the  wif- 
dom of  God  :  more  of  a  deep  and  inward  conviction, 
that  whatever  he  hath  appointed,  is,  for  that  very  reafon, 
wifeft  and  bell.  There  would  not  then  be  fo  many  at- 
tempts to  explain  away  what  is  clearly  contained  in  the 
New  Teftament ;  but  we  fhould  join,  from  the  heart, 
with  the  apoftle  Paul  in  faying,  Rom.  xi.  33.  *'  O  the 
"  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and  knowledge 
"  of  God  !  how  unfearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his 
*'  ways  pad  finding  out  ?" 

2.  Integrity  of  declaring  all  the  counsel  of  God^  implies 
preaching  the  truths  of  the  gofpel  in  their  full  and  juft  pro- 
portion. Under  the  former  particular,  I  have  fhewn  the 
neceffity  of  doing  jullice  to  every  truth  ;  let  us  now  add 
tb.e  duty  of  giving  their  full  room  and  place  to  important 
and  fundamental  truths.  In  order  to  make  a  juft  por- 
trait of  a  human  body,  it  is  neceifary,  not  only  to  have  all 
the  parts,  but  to  have  every  one  in  the  true  proportion 
it  bears  to  another.  If  one  member  is  fwelled  to  an 
imnatural  or  monftrous  bulk,  and  others  are  flirunk  or 
flirivelled  away  almoft  to  nothing,  it  will  make  the  moft 
unfeemly  figure.  Agreeably  to  this,  he,  who  would  faith- 
fully declare  the  counsel  of  God^  muft  have  a  particular 
eye  to  the  great  and  leading  truths  of  the  gofpel,   on 


the  iv/jolc  Couiizct^f  God,  24^ 

which  the  reft  deixiiid,  and  from  which  th:;y  derive  th-ir 
force  and  meaning. 

If  we  look  into  die  fcriptures  of  die  Old  and  NewTef- 
tament,  we  fliall  find  certain  leading  trutlis,  which  arc  of 
fo  great  moment,  that  tlity  ought  hardly  ever  to  be  out  of 
view ;  fueh  as  the  lod  flate  of  man  by  nature  ;  the  ablb- 
lute  necefllty  of  falvation  through  Chrift  ;  the  fuflering  of 
the  Saviour  in  die  finner's  room  ;  and  free  forgivcnefs 
through  the  blood  of  the  atonement ;  the  nec^efhly  of  rege- 
neration ;  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Gholl,  to  cnliglitcn, 
fanftiiy  and  comfort  his  people.  Thefe  truths  are  oi  fixh 
unfpeakable  moment,  in  divine  revelation,  that  they  ought 
to  be  clearly  explained,  llrongly  inculcated,  and  frequent- 
ly repeated ;  they  are  tiie  do(^rines  of  the  reformation ; 
ihey  make  the  fubllance  of  all  the  Proteftant  conieffions ; 
they  are  the  glory  of  the  Proteftant  churches  ;  and  have 
been  fealed  by  the  blood  of  thoufands  of  fii  tic  ring  mar- 
tyrs. And,  indeed,  it  comforts  me,  under  the  negledt 
with  which  they  are  treated,  at  prefent,  by  many  worldly 
perfons  in  a  flate  of  outv/ard  eafe  and  ftcurity  to  the 
church,  that,  if  ever  it  pleafe  God,  for  our  fms,  to  throw 
us  into  the  furnace,  they  will  then  difcover  their  honor^ 
they  will  recover  their  luftre,  becaufe  they  will  certainly 
manifeil:  their  influence. 

How  fhall  I  make  you  more  fenfible,  what  it  is  to  give 
their  full  room  to  thefe  important  truths,  than  by  putting 
you  in  mind  of  the  regard  that  was  paid  to  them  by  the 
apoftles  of  our  Lord,  who  received  their  commiflion  im- 
mediately from  himfelf,  and  were  not  only  the  hrll,  but 
the  bell  and  moll:  fuccefsful  miniiters  that  ever  were  em- 
ployed in  the  church  of  Chrill  ?  What  a  mukitudc  of  paf. 
fages  miglit  I  cite  to  this  purpofe  :  A6ls  iv.  12.  '•  Neitiicr 
"  is  there  falvation  in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  otiicr 
"  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  v\e 
*'  mull  be  laved."  1  Cor.  iii.  11.  ''  For  other  foundation 
*'  can  no  man  lay  tlian  that  is  laid,  which  js^  Jet\:s  Chriif* 
Pliil.  iii.  7,  3,  9.  "  But  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  ihofe 
''  J  counted  lofs  for  Chriil.  .Yea,  doubtleff:,  and  I  eoun: 
"  all  diinus  but  lofs,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
"  Chrift Jeilis,m\' Lord, for  whom  I  havj  fiifllrcd  the  !ois  of 
Vol.  II.         '  z  il 


2  46  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

"  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win 
'•  Chriil,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own 
"  righteoufnefs,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
*'  through  the  faith  of  Chrift,  the  righteoufnefs  which  is  of 
''  God  by  faith :"  Without  citing  any  more  palfages,  I 
iliall  only  obferve,  that  though  the  apollles  introduced  a 
great  variety  of  truths  in  their  writings  occafionally,  fuch 
was,  in  their  opinion,  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of 
fdlvation  by  the  crofs  of  Chrifl,  that  they  denominated  the 
gofpel  b]'  it.  Preaching  Chrift,  and  preaching  the  crofs 
of  Chrift,  was,  with  them,  the  fame  thing  as  preaching  the 
whole.  I  do  not  think  the  apoflle  Paul  was  defe£live,  in 
giving  particular  inftruftions,  upon  every  fubjeft,  to  thofe 
churches  which  he  either  planted  or  watered  ;  yet  he  fays 
to  the  Corinthians,  i  Cor.  ii.  2.  "  For  I  determined  not 
*'  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  fave  Jefus  Chrift,  and 
*'  him  crucified  ;"  intimating  that  fuch  was  his  attach- 
ment to  that  great  truth,  that  it  would  occupy,  in  a  man- 
ner, the  v/hole  of  his  time  and  labor ;  or  rather,  that  it 
had  fuch  an  intimate  connexion  with  every  other  part  of 
the  will  of  God,  that,  be  the  fubje(?t  what  it  would,  this 
could  hardly  be  entirely  out  of  view. 

He,  who  would  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  muil 
ftill  place  thefe  great  and  operative  do6lrines  in  a  con- 
fpicuous  point  of  view  ;  he  mull  not  pafs  them  over  flight- 
ly  ;  he  mull  not  even  fpeak  of  them  coldly,  but  in  fuch  a 
manner,  as  to  fhow,  that  he  knows  their  truth,  and  feels 
their  moment.  What  an  inconfiilency  for  a  Chriftian 
minifter,  to  fpeak  of  the  Lord  Redeemer  in  fuch  a  ftyle, 
as  naturally  leads  the  hearers  to  put  him  upon  a  level  with 
Socrates  or  Plato,  or  other  uninfpired  teachers,  who  ne- 
ver pretended  to  be  faviours  .''  What  poifon  to  the  fouls 
of  men,  for  any  to  fpeak,  as  if  they  v/ere  fpeaking  to 
Adam  before  the  fall,  and  to  fmg  thofe  firiners  afleep  in 
fecurity,  whon\  they  Ihould  endeavor  to  alarm,  that  they 
may  be  perfuaded  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  What 
betraying  of  their  truft,  to  entertain  their  people  with  an 
affefted  difphiy  of  their  own  talents,  or  idle  fpecula- 
tions,  to  amufe  the  fancy,  v/hen  they  fliould  be  building 
them  up  in  holinefs  and  comfort,  through  faith,  unto  fal- 


the  whole  counsel  of  God.  247 

nation  ?  The  very  manner  of  preaching  may  be  oppofilc 
to  the  doftrine  of  the  crofs,  which  hath  lb  much  humility 
and  felf-denial  in  it,  as  will  infpire,  and  give  a  color,  if  I 
may  Ipeak  {o,  to  every  word  that  is  fpoken  by  him  that 
firmly  believes  it.  On  the  whole,  no  other  truth  or  duty 
will  be  negleaed  by  a  faithful  miniller  ;  but  the  oftener 
he  Hands,  as  it  were,  in  the  centre  of  the  plan,  the  more 
frequently  he  contemplates  the  crofs  of  Chrill,  \\\  which 
all  the  lines  of  divine  truth  are  united,  the  more  clearly 
will  he  fee  them,  and  the  better  will  he  be  able  to  judge 
at  what  time  and  place  to  introduce  them. 
This  leads  me  to  obferve,  in  the 

3d  Place,  That  to  declare  all  the  counsel  of  God,  is  to 
preach  all  the  truths  of  God  in  their  proper  order  and  con- 
nexion.    To  allude  to  die  fimilitude   formerly  ufed  of 
making  a  portrait  of  a  human  body,  every  member  mull 
not  only  be  iji  its  juil  proportion,  but  in  its  proper  place. 
In  teaching  every  fcience,  there  is  a  certain  order  that 
mult  be  obferved,  otherwife  the  labor  will  be  in  a  great 
meafure  loll ;  but  it  holds  in  nothuig  more  Itrongly,  than 
in  teaching  religion,  and  opening  the  truths  of  the  golpel. 
i  might  confirm  this  by  many  examples,  or  rather,  indeed, 
by  going  through  the   whole  fyftem  of  divine  truth,  but 
Ihall  only  rna>:e  a  remark  or  two,  for  illuftrating  the  ob- 
fervation.     The  neceflity  of  falvationby  Chrill,  is  found- 
ed upon  the  loil  Hate  of  man  by  nature.     Unlefs  the  one 
is  firll  ellabliflied,  the  beauty  and  meaning  of  the  other  will 
wholly  difappear  ;  unlefs  we  are  now  in  a  corrupt  and 
guilty  Hate  ;   unlefs  man  has  indeed,  loll  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  God,  the  kindnefs  of  God  to  his  peculiar  people, 
the  promifes  in  the  prophetic  writings  of  light  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  the  riches  of  divine  grace  in  the  golpel,  fpoken 
of  in  fuch  magnificent  terms,  mull  all  appear  inconlidera- 
blc,  and  unworthy  of  regard.     Unlefs  you  can  convince 
men  of  their  fins,  and  make  them  fenfible  of  the  holinefs 
and  jullice  of  God,  in  vain  will  you  preach  the  gofpcl  to 
them  ;   in  vain  will  you  call  it  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy 
*'  to  all  people ;"  they  do  not  underlland  die  terms,  they 
ivill  deride  the  meflage,  and  fpurn  the  offered  mercy. 


148  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

If  you  preach  the  free  forgivenefs  of  fin  through  Chrift, 
v.'ithout,  at  the  fame  time,  llievvingthe  neceifity  of  rege- 
neration and  fanftification  by  his  Spirit,  it  will  either  not 
be  embraced  at  all,  or  it  will  be  turned  into  licentioufnefs. 
And,  if  you  preach  the  duties  of  the  law,  widiout,  at  the 
fame  time,  difplaying  the  grace  of  the  gofpel,  and  the 
vital  influence  that  flows  from  the  head  to  the  m.embers, 
you  will  either  build  up  men  in  a  deftrudlive  fyftem  of 
Pharifaical  religion  and  felf-righteoufnefs,  or  bring  them 
imder  the  Egyptian  bondage,  of  making  brick,  though 
they  are  not  furniflied  with  flraw.  The  privileges  and 
duties  01  the  gofpel  fland  in  an  infeparable  connection  ; 
if  you  take  away  the  firft,  you  ftarve  and  niortify  the  lafl. 
Hear  what  our  Lord  himfelf  fays,  John  xv.  4,  5.  "Abide 
*'  in  m.e,  and  1  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit, 
*'  ofitfelf,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye, 
*'  except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  bran- 
•■'  ches :  he  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  fame 
*'  bringeth  forth  much  fruit ;  for  v/ithout  me  ye  can  do 
*'  nothing."  I  fay  the  lame  thing  of  not  inforeing  the 
duties  of  the  gofj^el  with  the  gt  eat  and  powerful  motives 
drawn  from  its  truths.  You  fee  in  what  a  convincing  and 
affecting  manner  the  apoftle  Paul  fpeaks  of  his  own  con- 
du6l,  and  that  of  the  other  apoftles,  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. 
*'  For  the  love  of  Chrifi:  conflraineth  us,  becaufe  we  thus 
*'  judge,  tliat  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  :  and 
*'  that  he  died  for  all,  tha.t  they  which  live,  lliould  not 
"  henceforth  live  unto  themfelves,  but  unto  him  which 
*'  died  lor  them,  and  rofe  again."  It  is,  doubtlefs,  lav/- 
ful,  nay,  it  is  for  the  glory  of  God,  to  make  occafional 
mention  of  every  argument  againft  fin,  drawn  from  na- 
ture, reafon,  and  experience,  to  firiew  that,  "  the  law  is 
"  holy,  the  con:!mandment  holy,  juft,  and  good."  But 
let  us  not  hope  to  make  confcientious,  a6live,  fruitful 
Chriftians,  any  other  way,  than  by  teaching  them  to  live 
**  the  life  that  they  live  in  the  flefli,  a  life  of  faith  on  the 
"  Son  of  God,  who  loved  them,  and  gave  himfelf  for 
"  them." 

Ail  who  know  the  grace  of  God  in  truth,  -will  defire  to 
have  tilis  connection  between  one  truth  and  another,  and 


the  'whole  Counsel  uf  God.  249 

the  influence  of  truth  on  duty  inviolably  prefervcd.  It  is, 
indeed,  common  with  Ibmc  to  alledge,  that  the  friends  of 
the  gofjDel,  tiiole  who  are  attached  to  the  dodlrinc  of  re- 
demption,  are  enemies  to  tlie  law,  and  that  they  do  not 
love  to  hear  their  duty  preached  to  them.  I  look  upon 
this  as  an  unjull  and  detedable  flander,  and  commonly 
fpread  by  thole  who  know  nothing  of  the  fubferviency  of 
the  law  to  the  golpel,  or  rather  who  underlland  very  little 
either  of  the  one  or  the  other.  If  a  minifter  preaches  the 
holinefs  of  God's  nature,  with  whom  evil  cannot  dwell ; 
if  ne  preaches  the  duties  of  the  moral  law,  in  all  the  force 
of  its  unchangeable  obligation,  and  all  the  terror  of  its 
awful  fandion,  in  order  to  convince  his  hearers,  that  they 
are  liable  to  wrath,  I  know  no  found  Chrillian  who  will 
find  fault  with  it :  nay,  I  am  perfuaded,  that  miniflers, 
who  love  the  do6lrine  of  falvation  by  grace,  do  often  preach 
the  moral  law  in  fuch  terms,  that  many  legal  ^xirfons  are 
ready  to  tremble  at  the  hearing  of  it ;  for  they  w^illingly 
ufe  the  words  of  the  apoftle  Paul,  Gal.  iii.  10.  '•  For  as  ma- 
"  ny  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curfe  ; 
"  for  it  is  written,  cuifed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not 
"  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
"  to  do  them."  But  if  lerious  perfons  hear  the  duties  of 
the  law,  preached  as  the  grounds  of  their  acceptance,  and 
the  foundation  of  their  peace  with  God,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  they  fay,  after  an  approved  example,  "  ifrightcouf- 
*'  nefs  came  by  the  law,  then  Chrift  is  dead  in  vain.'' 

Again,  if  a  minifter  preach  the  duties  of  the  gofpel,  ex- 
plain them  in  all  their  extent,  and  prcfs  them  by  argu- 
ments drawn  from  the  New  Teftament,  as  the  fruits  of 
faith,  as  the  evidences  of  their  change,  as  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude to  their  Redeemer,  as  the  marks  of  dieir  relation  to 
him,  and  necefl'ary  to  fit  them  for  his  prefence,  I  believe 
it  will  not  be  unacceptable  to  any  of  his  people.  On  the 
contrary,  they  do  ulually  both  approve  and  delight  in  tiiefe 
fermons  which  are  moll  fearching  to  the  confcience,  and 
moft  clear  and  explicit  in  the  trial  of  their  Hate.  Titus  iii.  , 
8.  ''This  is  a  faithful  faying,  and  thefe  Uiings  I  will  diar 
''  thou  affirm  conftantly,  diat  they  which  have  believed  in 
"  God  might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works  :  thefc 


250  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

"  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men."  It  is  our 
duty  to  fhevv,  not  only  that  profefiing  Chriftians  ought  to 
be  holy,  but  that  they  muft  be  holy  ;  and  that  if  they  live 
and  die  the  flaves  of  any  known  fin,  Chrift,  and  all  that 
he  hath  done,  fliall  profit  them  nothing,  but  only  aggra- 
vate their  condemnation.  I  v/ill  bear  this  tellimony  to 
my  ovv-n  hearers,  that,  as  it  was  always  a  principle  with 
me,  to  preach  the  dodrines  of  redemption  where  they  are, 
and  not  to  attempt  to  find  them  where  they  are  not,  by  a 
boundlefs  allegorical  interpretation  ;  fo  thefe  fermons, 
which  have  been  wholly  employed  in  explaining  and  en- 
forcing particular  duties,  opening  their  principles,  diftin- 
guilhing  them  from  their  counterfeits,  and  preffing  them 
upon  the  confcience,  have  met  with  as  much  approbation, 
and  been  heard  with  as  little  fufpicion  as  any  whatever. 
But  if  any  minifi:er  had  preached  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to 
fet  the  dodrine  of  falvation  altogether  afide,  and  to  fup-^ 
pofe  that  we  could  obey  in  our  own  fi:rength,  or  that  God 
was  indebted  to  us  for  our  works,  inilead  of  our  being  in- 
debted to  him,  both  for  llrength  to  perform  them,  and 
mercy  to  accept  them,  I  believe  it  would  not  have  paffed 
without  cenfure  ;  and  I  fincerely  pray,  that  the  time  may 
never  come,  when  it  will,  in  any  corner  of  this  church, 
but  efpecially  from  the  pulpit  in  which  I  now  fi;and. 

The  delufion  and  abfurdity  that  finds  place  with  many, 
deferves  the  greateft  pity.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear 
certain  perfons  pouring  out  the  bitterefl:  invedives  in  pul- 
pit and  converfation  againft  others,  as  enemies  to  morali- 
ty, as  turning  the  grace  of  God  into  licentioufnefs,  as  not 
only  negleding,  but  even  oppofing  the  obligation  of  his 
law.  In  the  mean  while,  if  you  hear  the  firll,  you  Ihall 
rarely  meet  with  any  thing  but  what  is  quite  loofe  and  ge- 
neral, a  declamation  on  the  beauty  of  virtue,  and  the  ne- 
ceffity  of  holinefs,  or  a  very  imperfed  fl<:etch  of  the  offices 
due  from  man  to  man  in  the  common  intercourfe  of  focial 
life.  And,  if  you  hear  the  other,  it  Is  probable  you  may 
hear  many  of  the  hard  fayings  of  the  gofpel,  not  only  the 
necefiTity  of  doing  juilice,  and  loving  mercy,  with  the  cer- 
tain damnation  of  thofe  who  hold  unjufi:  gain  without  refti- 
tution ;  but  the  n^cefiity  of  loving  God  above  all  created 


the  Vihole  Counsel  of  God.  251 

comforts,  habitually  diredting  every  part  of  our  condudl 
t»  his  glory,  and  being  fmcerely  and  without  referve,  fub- 
minive  to  his  providence;  You  may  rflfo,  probably,  hear 
the  duties  of  every  relation  defcended  to  with  a  particula- 
r^ty,  and  the  ncgledtor  breach  of  them  reproved  with  a  fe- 
verity,  that  is  no  where  elfe  to  be  found.  Now,  I  defire 
to  know  which  ofthefe  are  the  greatefl  friends  to  morality. 
So  llrong  is  the  deception,  that  I  have  known  feveral  of 
the  hearers  of  the  mofl  boafled  moral  preachers,  who 
could  not  avoid  betraying,  by  their  difcourfe,  that  they 
confidered  the  exercifes  of  piety,  as  no  part  of  morality, 
and  very  confiftently,  indeed,  with  thefe  principles,  treat- 
ed them  with  the  mofl  abfolute  negledl. 

I  have  little  hope  of  the  convi6lion,  but  would  gladly, 
if  poflibie,  flop  the  mouths  of  gainfayers  on  this  fubjedt. 
Is  it  not  ufual  to  mark  out  the  friends  of  falvation  by  grace, 
under  the  title  of  extraordinary  ftridt,  and  eminent  ])rofef- 
fors;  generally,  indeed,  with  a  view  to  challenge  the  fnicerl- 
ty  of  that  profelfion,  and  load  it  with  obloquy  and  reproach? 
But  confider,  I  pray  you,  with  what  propriety  you  give 
them  the  name  of  profeffors  ?  Arhat  is  it  that  they  profefs  ? 
It  is,  that  they  are  nothing  in  themfelves  and  deferve  no- 
thing at  the  hand  of  God  but  wrath  for  their  fins  ;  that 
they  have  no  hope  of  acceptance,  but  by  the  free  grace  of 
God  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Chrift ;  that  they 
can  do  nodiing  of  themfelves  that  is  good,  but  by  the 
grace  of  God,  are  what  they  are  ;  fothat  there  is  no  room 
left  for  them  to  glory.  Is  not  this  their  faith  and  pen'ua- 
fion  ?  Why  are  they  then  called  profellbrs  ?  You  are 
the  profeflbrs,  who  make  your  lx)all  of  the  law,  and  glo- 
ry in  the  excellence  and  perfeftion  of  human  virtue. 
Shew  us  then  your  faith  by  your  works  ;  juiVify  }Our  pro- 
ieflion  by  your  praftice  ;  boafling  will  bring  you  little  ere- 
<lit.  But  let  us  fee  v/ho  have  the  mod  fober,  honeit,  holy, 
lieavenly  lives  ;  thefe  are  certainly  actuated  by  the  bell 
principles. 

But,  I  mufl,  in  part,  retrad  what  I  have  faid  ;  for,  after 
all,  the  fervants  of  Chrill  are  indeed  profellbis.  They 
liave  taken  on  the  holy  profellion  of  the  gofpel  :  and,  in 
iaft,  any  inftance  of  irregular  conduct  in  them  is  mo-.e 
•bferved,  more  deeply  reproached,  and  gives  ;^!vater  ol- 


252  Minis ter tat  FulcUty  hi  declaring 

fence  than  the  veiy  fame  in  perfons  of  a  different  charac* 
ter.  When  they  depart  from  their  duty,  and  from  ftridt- 
nefs  of  converfation,  I  give  theni  freely  up  to  the  cen- 
fures  of  their  enemies  ;  they  have  richly  deferved  them, 
and  therefore  they  ought  to  bear  them.  In  the  mean  time, 
let  me  put  thofe  in  mind,  who,  in  the  midll  of  their  tri- 
umph, ftigmatize  them  with  the  name  0I  professors^  that 
they  do  them,  or  rather  their  profeffion,  more  honor  than 
they  are  aware  of ;  for  they  fhow  that  they  themfelves  are 
fenlible  that  fuch  principles  ought  to  have  produced  holi- 
nefs  in  the  converfation.  So  far  as  they  reproach  the  lin- 
iier,  or  the  detefted  hypocrite,  they  do  what  is  right,  and 
it  can  fcarcely  be  over  done.  But,  when  they  take  occa* 
fion  to  bring  a  reproach  on  the  profession  itfelf,  their  very 
luccefs  is  a  condemnation  of  themfelves  ;  for  that  the  grol's 
crimes  of  their  own  admirers,  are  lefs  offenfive,  is  juft  be- 
caule  their  pjrofession  is  lefs  holy.  Nothing  would  give 
me  greater  pain,  than  to  under  (land  that  my  doftrinai 
were  to  the  talle  of  midnight  rioters,  fwearers,  and  Sab*- 
bath  breakers;  and,  if  any  fuch  are  found  among  the  ad- 
mirers of  moral  preaching,  their  teachers  could  not  do 
themfelves  a  greater  honor,  than  by  renouncing  the  con- 
nedtion. 

4th.  Fidelity  in  declaring  the  whole  counsel  of  God^  im- 
plies preaching  every  truth  in  its  proper  feafon.  "  There 
'•'■  is  as  Solomon  tells  us,  a  time  for  every  thing  under  the 
"  fun  ;"  and,  where  the  truths  of  the  golpel  are  taught  in 
their  feafon,  it  gives  them  a  particular  luflre,  as  well  as  an 
uncommon  force.  Tnat  you  may  underftand  what  I 
mean  by  preaching  the  truths  of  religion  in  their  leaion, 
you  may  obferve,  that,  befides  giving  v;ith  alfiduity  and 
care,  the  neceflary  inilrudions  for  every  particular  duty 
incumbent  on  perfons,  families  or  congregations,  the  lea- 
fon  nuy  vary,  and  the  propriety  and  neceffity  of  infilling 
upon  fome  truths,  may  arife  from  two  circumllances  ; — 
the  ihate  of  religion  among  a  people  ; — and  the  afpedt  of 
providence  towards  them. 

lit,  it  may  arife  from  the  ftate  of  religion  among  a  peo- 
ple. Surely  it  is  the  duty  of  a  minifier  to  fuit  his  inftruc- 
•tions  to  the  prefent  and  moft   prefiing  neceilities  ol  hi$ 


ihe  \\iholc  Counsel  of  God.  253 

hearers  ;  not  to  fofter  their  prejudices,  but,  with  care  and 
jinlgment,  to  correal  tliem  ;  not  to  pardon  or  overlook 
tiieir  prcvailin^^  errors,  but  to  rectify  them  ;  not  to  bear 
with  epidemic  fms,  but,  with  boldners  and  feveriiy,  to 
reprove  them.  It  will  be  feen,  on  tlie  following  head, 
that  fome  of  the  greate't  difficulties  that  lie  in  the  wa^r  of 
minillers,  and  the  fi:rongeft  temptatons  to  nnfauhfLliiefs, 
come  from  this  quarter.  At  prefent  I  fliall  only  fliortly 
illuitratc  the  obfeivation,  and  fupport  it  by  the  practice  of 
the  apoiilts.  We  fee,  tiiat,  in  fpeaking  eillier  to  pcrfons 
or  ciiurches,  they  took  care  to  have  a  particular  eye  to 
their  Hate  and  charader,  and  adapted  their  inftructions, 
and  even  their  exprcfTions,  to  thefe  circumftances  with 
the  utmoll  fidelity,  and  the  greateft  Ikill.  Neither  is  there 
aiT^y  way  by  which  we  can  fo  well  enter  into  tlie  mean- 
ing of  the  fcriptures,  or  perceive  their  beauty,  as  by  con* 
fidering  the  condition  and  characters  of  thofc  to  whom 
the  feveral  parts  of  them  are  immediately  addrefild.  V/e 
fhall  alfo  fee  a  mixture  of  zeal  and  prudence  in  the  holy 
apoUles,  when  acting  under  the  direction  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  What  an  admirable  example  ha\  e  we  of  propriety 
and  fidelity  in  the  apoftle  Paul's  difcourfe  to  Felix,  the 
Roman  governor,  when  he  defired  to  jiear  him  concerning 
the  faith  of  Chrill?  We  are  told.  Ads  xxiv.  25.  that  he 
took  occafion  to  ''  rcafon  of  righteoufnefs,  temperance, 
"  and  judgment  to  come."  In  fpeaking  to  one,  who 
had,  p?obably,  no  other  intention,  in  defiring  to  hear 
him,  than  to  gratify  his  curiofity,  by  obtaining  a  diilindt 
account  of  the  wonderful  hiftory  of  Chrift,  he  thought 
proper  to  apply  to  all  thofe  principles  of  natural  confci- 
ence  which  uiight  be  fuppofed,  yet  to  retain  fome  power 
over  him.  And  if  (as  many  judicious  interpreters  think) 
indead  of  temperance,  we  fhould  read  continence,  it  was 
a  bold  and  fevere,  yet  well-timed  reproof  to  him  and  Dru-. 
fiUa,  who  were  then  living  in  adultery.  We  cannot  help 
alfo  being  {truck  with  the  unlhaken  boldnefs  of  the  Apof- 
t!e,  who  could  fpeak  with  fo  much  freedom  to  the  go\'er- 
nor,  in  v.-hofe  hands  he  was  then  as  a  prifoner,  and  before 
whom  he  ex{)e6ted  foon  to  Hand,  and  receive  fentence 
from  him  as  a  judge. 

Vol.  II.  2  I 


-*J)-r 


Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 


You  may  alfo  obferve  the  apoftle  Paul's  attention  to, 
and  concern  for  the  particular  ftate  of  the  churches  to 
which  he  wrote  his  epillles.  The  church  of  Corinth  feems 
to  have  been  grently  infefted  with  divifions  and  conten- 
tions, and  thefe  unhappily  inflamed  by  ambitious  and  fac- 
tious teachers,  under  whom  they  were  marflialled  as  fo 
many  leaders,  and  to  whofe  name  and  intereft  they  feem 
to  have  been  more  devoted,  than  even  to  thofe  of  their 
Mailer,  i  Cor.  iii.  3,  4.  "  For  ye  are  yet  carnal :  for 
"  whereas  there  is  among  you  envying,  and  ftrife,  and 
"  divifions,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as  men  ?  For, 
"  while  one  faith,  I  am  of  Paul,  and  another,  I  am  of  A- 
"  polios,  are  ye  not  carnal  ?"  Againft  this  the  apoftle 
writes  v/ith  the  greateft  zeal  and  warmth,  and,  at  the- 
fame  time,  with  the  greateil  prudence.  He  lliews  how 
inconfiftent  it  was  with  the  fpirit  of  the  gofpel,  and  how 
derogatory  to  the  honor  of  Chrift.  He  endeavors  to  make 
them  fenfible  that  the  m.oft  able  and  faithful  minifters 
Vv'ere  no  mere  than  inllruments  in  his  hand,  and  owed 
their  fuccefs  entirely  to  the  bleifmg  of  God  accompanying 
their  labors,  as  in  the  fame  chapter,  ver.  5,  6,  7.  "  Who 
*'  then  is  Paul,  and  v/ho  is  Apollos,  but  minifters  by  whom 
"  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man  ?  I 
"  have  planted,  Apollos  watered ;  but  God  gave  the  in- 
"  creafe.  So  then,  neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing, 
"  neither  lie  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  in- 
"  creafe."  AVhat  deferves  particular  notice,  is,  that,  in 
all  probability,  the  mention  of  himfelf  and  Apollos  here, 
was  merely  hypothetical,  or  to  ferve  by  way  of  example. 
The  real  heads  of  the  parties  in  the  Corinthian  church, 
were  other  teachers  than  either  Paul  or  Apollos,  whom  he 
did  not  cliufe  to  name,  but  ftated  his  argument  in  this  lefs 
ofrenii\e  and  more  convincing  form.  The  truth  is,  there 
is  no  diforder  in  a  church,  that  is  harder  to  deal  with,  than 
a  fpirit  of  contention.  Other  fins  may  be  reproved 
with  feverity,  and  you  will  be  fuppofed  to  be  in  the  exer- 
cife  of  your  duty  when  doing  fo  ;  but  this  will  not  allow 
itfelf  to  be  reproved,  becaufe  it  v/ill  not  confefs  itfelf  to  be 
a  crime,  and  is  therefore  often  exafperated  by  the  attempts 
to  heal  it.     You  may  fee  fometimes  a  man  'of  ftrife  cover 


the  'whole  Coumel  of  God.  255 

all  under  a  flaming  profeiTion  of  religion,  and  yet  conduft 
it  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  we  may  fay  of  him,  as  the  fer- 
vants  of  Nabal  faid  of  their  mall  r,  "  he  is  fuch  a  fon  of 
«'  Belial,  that  a  man  cannot  fpeak  to  him." 

I  might  produce  many  other  examples  from  the  holy 
Scriptures ;   but  thefe  are  fufficient,  to  ilievv  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  a  miniiler  to  fuit  himfelf  to  the  Hate  of  religion 
among  his  people,  by  vvith-holding  nothing  that  is  profit- 
able, but  particular!}'-  infilling  on  what  is  mofl  needful. 
If  any  of  the  truths  of  the  gofpel  are  in  danger  of  being 
neglefted,  if  they  are  undermined  by  fecret,  or  aifaulled 
by  open  enemies,  it  is  the  duty  of  a  minifterto  make  fre- 
quent mention  of  them,  left  they  fliould  be  forgotten  ;  and 
to  fupport  and  confirm  them,   that  they  may  obtain  ac- 
ceptance.    If  any  duty  is  in  danger  of  falling  into  difef- 
teem,  andafalfc  fliame  makes  many  decline  the  pra6ticc, 
a  faithful  minifler  fliould  fland  forth  an  open  and  zealous 
advocate  for  its  continuance.    If  any  particular  fni,  or  fins, 
prevail  remarkably  in  a  place,   and  app-^ar  to  be  gaining 
ground,  it  is  the  duty  of  a  miniltcr  to  beware  of  yielding  to 
•the  dream,  or  feekinghis  own  quiet  by  filence  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, he  ought  to  double  his  diligence,  and  make  tlie  mofl: 
refolute  and  vigorous  oppolition  to  the  incroexhing  evil. 
Of  all  this,  1  fuppofe,  you  will  clearly  perceive  both  the 
meaning  and  the  juflice.     Thefe  circumilances  are  the  in- 
timations of  Providence,  and  point  out,  in  the  u'.ofl  figni- 
ficant  manner,  not  onl}'-  what  is  a  part  of  a  minifier's  u  ork 
in  general,  but  alfo  what  is  the  inimcdiate  will  of  God  as 
to  his  prefent  duty. 

2dly.  The  proper  feafon  of  infuling  on  particular  truths 
may  arife  from  the  afpect  of  providence  towards  the  church 
in  general,  or  a  congregation,  family,  or  perfon  in  parti- 
cular. You  fee  die  apoUles  conltantly  make  ufe  of  the 
Hate  of  the  cliurch  in  their  time,  the  number  and  violence 
of  its  enemies,  to  excite  the  fervants  of  Chrill  to  vigilance, 
to  exhort  them  to  conilancy,  and  to  exercifj  them  to  pa- 
tience. Tliey  alio  feem  particulaily  attentive  to  teach 
th.cir  converts  to  make  ufe  of  the  confolations  of  the  gof- 
pel with  this  view,  Rom.  viii.  18.  ''Fori  reckon,  ihat 
"■  die  iufl'erings  of  this  prefent  time  are  not  worthy  ti» 


2^6  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

"  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  fliall  be  revealed  in 
*'  us" — and  the  fame  chapter,  verfes  35,  36,  37.  ',*  AVho 
"  fhall  feparate  us  from  the  love  of  Cnrill  ?  fliall  tribula- 
"  tion,  or  diilrefs,  or  perfecution,  or  famine,  or  nakednefs, 
*'  or  peril,  01  fword  ?  (As  it  is  written,  for  thy  fake  we 
*'  are  killed  all  the  day  long  ;  we  are  accounted  as  Iheep 
*'  for  the  flaughter.)  Nay,  in  all  thefe  things  we  are  more 
**  than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us."  Impend- 
ing calamities  of  fuch  an  alarming  nature  that  they  fpeak, 
as  it  Vv^ere,  of  them.felves,  and  alibrd  the  noblell  opportuni- 
ties of  av/akening  the  attention,  and  moving  the  affecPtions, 
of  bringing  the  carelefs  to  convidion,  and  flirring  up  the 
holy  to  watchfulnefs.  In  times  of  public  danger  too  the 
felf-feeking  minifter  throws  off  the  mafk,  and  delerts  the 
caufe,  while  the  faithful  who  remain,  are  necelfarily  ani- 
mated with  uncom.mon  zeal. 

But  a  different  afpeft  of  Providence  calls  alfo  for  inftruc- 
tion  in  feafon.  In  times  of  public  quiet  and  fecurity, 
there  is  the  greatell  reaibn  to  dread,  and,  by  confequence, 
to  guard  againll  indifierence  and  formality  in  religion,  on 
the  one  hand,  or  unnecefiary  contention  about  it  on  the 
other.  When  the  profeffion  of  the  gofpel  is  at  any  rate 
fate,  and  in  fome  degree  profitable,  the  church  is  always 
incumbered  with  a  dead  weight  of  cuftomary  Chriftians, 
who  receive  their  religion  from  their  fathers,  and  continue 
to  tread,  as  it  were,  in  the  beaten  path.  It  is  no  eafy 
matter,  to  fnake  their  fecurity,  when  every  outward  cir- 
cumilance  confpires  to  increafe  it.  And  as  the  fpiritual 
Hummer  takes  hold,  in  fbm.e  meafure,  even  of  thole  who 
are  alive  unto  God,  it  is  no  trifling  taflv  to  exercife  difci- 
'pline,  at  once  with  prudence  and  with  firmnefs,  and  to 
preTerve  the  life  and  power  of  religion,  when  every  thing 
is  iliffening  into  form.  It  is  very  eafy,  indeed,  when 
there  is  a  hard  conflid  between  health  and  corruption,  in 
the  body  of  Chrifi,  that  is  to  fay,  in  his  viiible  church, 
for  one,  or  a  few  members,  to  pour  out  complaints  againft 
tliofe  who  govern  it ;  to  lay  to  the  charge  of  minillers 
thole  abules  which  are  the  grief  of  their  hearts  ;  and,  all  at 
once,  to  let  about  making  a  new  model  according  to  their 
own  fancy.     But  I  apprehend  it  is  a  much  better,  though 


the  V} hole  Counsel  of  God.  257 

a  more  difEcult  duty,  to  obey  the  Redeemer's  counfcl,  to 
"  be  watchUil,  and  llreniTthen  the  things  that  remain  and 
*'  are  ready  to  die."  Alas  !  how  olten  do  the  new  difor- 
ders  that  break  out  in  feparatinj^;  focieties,  betray  the 
nau;:!;hty  materials  of  whicii  they  arc  compofed.  They  are 
much  in  the  fame  way  as  the  fool  who  ran  away  from  his 
own  ihadow,  but  run  where  he  would,  it  was  as  foon 
there  as  he.  They  run  away  from  the  corruption  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  they  ihall  never  be  quit  of  it,  becaufc 
they  carry  it  with  them. 

There  is  one  other  temptation  which  I  flidU  briefly 
mention,  as  almoll  infeparable  from  a  flate  of  outward  quiet 
in  the  church  of  ChrilL  Thofe,  if  I  may  Ipeak  fo,  who 
keep  their  garments  clean,  as  to  the  sins^  are  fcarcely 
able  to  bear  up  under  the  trials  of  the  times.  When  ihey 
fee  one  attempt  after  another,  for  the  re\'ival  of  truth  and 
righteoufnefs,  defeated  by  the  flrength  of  corruption,  tliey 
are  in  danger  of  iinpatience  and  fretfulnefs  againfh  Provi- 
dence, and  fometimes  are  even  tempted  to  call  in  queftion 
the  reality  of  religion  altogether ;  as  if  it  did  not  meet 
with  that  fupport  and  countenance,  from  ti^e  great  Ruler, 
which  they  think  is  its  due.  But  the  mod  common  dan- 
ger is,  that  of  falling  into  a  defpondent  negle«5t  of  duty,  of 
not  doing  what  they  ought,  becaufe  it  has  not  hitherto  had 
the  eficdl  which  tliey  defire.  In  fuch  a  cafe,  no  doubt,  it 
is  the  duty  of  miniiters  to  fortify  them,  by  giving  proper 
views  of  the  wifdom  and  foverelgnty  of  Providence  ;  by 
fliewing  the  paths  of  God  towards  his  church,  in  ancient 
times;  and  that  thefe  have,  in  every  age,  been  the  com- 
plaints and  fears  of  good  men,  from  the  weaknefs  of  their 
faith,  and  the  imperfedlion  of  their  knowledge.  It  was 
the  complaint  of  the  Pfalmili,  Pfal.  Ixxix.  4.  "  We  are 
■**  become  a  reproach  to  our  neighbors,  a  fcorn  and  deri- 
"  fionto  them  that  are  round  about  us."  But  it  led  him 
to  prayer  for  the  revival  of  religion,  as  well  as  the  prof- 
perity  of  his  country,  verfe  5.  "  How  long.  Lord,  wilt  thou 
*'  be  angry  forever  ?  fhall  thy  jealoufy  burn  like  fire  :" 
&nd,  in  the  8th  and  9th  verfes,  ''  O  remember  not  againft 
"  us  former  iniquities  :  let  thy  tender  mercies  fpeedily 
♦'  prevent  us  :  for  we  are  brought  yerj'  low.     Help  us,  O 


258  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

*'  God  of  our  falvation,  for  the  gloiy  of  thy  name  :  and 
*'  deliver  us,  and  purge  awav  our  fins  for  thy  name's 
*'  fake.'* 

But  the  courfe  of  Providence,  towards  the  church  in 
general,  is  not  only  to  be  obferved  and  improved,  but 
whatever  is  remarkable  or  fmgular,  in  particular  congre- 
gations. I  fliall  not  dwell  upon  examples  of  this,  be- 
caufe  it  is  my  purpofe  to  put  it  into  praftice,  and  by  that 
means,  to  iilullrate  it  in  the  application  of  this  difcourfe. 
Let  it  fuffice  to  fay,  that  thole  truths,  or  exhortations, 
which  are  founded  on  the  vifible  ftate  of  providence,  carry 
a  degree  of  evidence  and  weight  with  them,  that  is  pecu- 
liar to  themfeives.  Known  charaders  and  fcenes  illuf- 
trate  the  delcription,  facilitate  the  application,  and  increafe 
the  conviction.  I  do  not  mean  the  expofmg  of  particular 
perfons,  by  the  introdu6lion  of  fmgle  and  recent  fafl's. 
But  if  a  mmifter  is  able  with  judgment  and  propriety,  to 
reflect  light  upon  divine  truth,  by  pointing  out  the  evil 
confequences  of  fm  in  general,  the  caufes  of  the  preva- 
lence of  one  fm  more  than  another,  and  the  infenfible 
changes  that  are  produced  in  the  manners  of  men,  by  the 
change  of  their  outward  condition,  it  is  certainly  his  duty; 
and  when  the  ftate  of  his  own  people  furnilhes  the  oppor- 
tunity, if  he  would  fpeak  the  word  in  feafon,  he  ought  not 
to  let  it  pafs. 

To  thele  obfervations  I  only  add,  that,  in  the  whole 
courfe  of  private  parochial  duties,  a  faithful  minifter  will 
fpeak  the  truths  of  God  in  their  proper  feafon.  If  in  fa- 
mily viiitation,  or  private  and  perfonal  admonition,  he 
hath  not  a  particular  view,  either  to  their  character,  as  far 
as  it  is  known,  or  their  flate  in  providence,  however  ex- 
cellent or  important  his  infi:ru6tions  may  be,  in  other  re- 
fpects,  he  declareth  not  the  whole  counfel  of  God.  But  if 
he  is  truly  actuated  by  a  defire  of  being  ufeful,  and  keeps 
this  circuml'tance  in  his  eye,  with  what  readinefs  will  he 
communicate  initruftion  to  the  ignorant,  confolation  to  the 
difn-efc,  and  reproof  to  the  obltinate  ?  lie  will  recommend 
to  the  rich,  humility  and  liberality  ;  to  all  who  are  in  po- 
verty patience  and  iridullry  ;  to  parents,  alfiduity  in  teach- 
ing and  government ;  to  children,  obedience,  attention, 


the  ivhole  Counsel  of  God.  259 

and  fubjeftion  ;  and  to  fervants,  integrity  and  faithful nefs 
in  their  trsfl ;  or,  in  the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as 
a  wife  fervant,  "  he  will  give  to  every  one  his  portion  of 
"  meat  in  due  feafon." 

5.  In  the  laft  place,  declar'mg  the  ivhole  counsel  of  God ^ 
implies  preaching  the  truths  of  the  gofpel,honellly  and  bold- 
ly, without  refpedl  ofpcrfons.  I  am  perfuaded  the  apoftle 
Paul,  who  was  himfelf  fo  remarkable  for  an  undaunted 
courage  in  his  Mailer's  caufc,  had  this,  amongfl:  other 
things,  in  view,  when  he  fays,  he  had  not  shunned  to  de- 
clare the  counfel  of  God.  There  are  few  temptations 
more  dangerous,  to  a  minifler,  than  the  fear  of  man.  Such 
is  the  malignant  enmity  of  the  wicked  againll  the  good, 
that  he  may  fuffer  injury  from  them  in  his  name,  his  fub- 
ftance,  and  even  his  perfon.  Againfl  this  danger  our  Sa- 
viour has  warned  his  difciples  in  the  following  paflage, 
Luke  xii.  4.  "  And  I  fay  unto  you,  my  friends,  be  not 
"  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have  no 
"  more  that  they  can  do  ;  but  I  will  forewarn  you  whom 
"  you  Ihall  fear  :  fear  him  which,  after  he  hath  killed,  hath 
*'  power  to  call  into  hell ;  yea,  I  fay  unio  you  fear  him," 
It  is  remarkable,  that  inthe  prayers  recorded  in  fcripture,  as 
offered  up  by  the  apofdes,  for  divine  affiflance  in  their  facred 
office,  as  well  as  thofe  paffages  in  which  they  afk  the  pray- 
ers and  interceilion  of  tlicir  fellow  Chriftians,  this  circum- 
ftance  is  almofi:  never  forgotten.  Boldnefs  and  refolu- 
tion  was  what  they  faw  they  lliould  always  fland  in  need 
of,  Afts  iv.  29.  "  And  now.  Lord,  behold  their  threat- 
"  nings,  and  grant  unto  thy  fervants,  that,  with  all  bold- 
*'  nefs,  they  may  fpeak  thy  word."  Eph.  vi.  18,  19. 
*'  Praying  always,  with  all  prayer  and  fupplication,  in  the 
*'  fpirit,  and  watching  thereunto,  with  all  jx;rlevei*an€e 
"  and  fupplication  for  all  faints  :  and  for  mc,  that  utter- 
*'  ance  may  be  given  unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth 
"  boldly,  to  make  known  the  myilery  olthe  Gofpd. 

The  trials  of  the  apoilles  were  indeed  in  this  refpxcl 
uncommonly  fevere  ;  but,  even  letting  aiide  tlie  cafe  of 
open  perfecution,  there  is  great  reafon  for  miniftcrs  to 
guard  againll  that  fear  of  man,  which  bringetli  a  liiarc. 
As  their  hearers  are  of  all  diilereut  ranks  and  decrees, 


26o  Ministerial  Fidelity  i7i  declaring 

they  ought,  with  the  utmoft  impartiality,  to  preach  the 
duties  incumbent  upon,  and  reprove  the  lins  that  cleave  to 
men  of  every  flation.  As  they  fpeak  in  the  name  of  God, 
and  carry  a  meffage  from  the  King  of  kings,  they  ought  to 
do  it  with  the  dignity  that  becomes  an  ambaflador  from 
him.  They  ought  not  to  be  difmayed  at  the  prefence  of 
the  mofi:  high  and  mighty  of  their  fellow  fmners,  when  they 
remember  the  continual  prefence  of  him  before  whom 
"  mean  men  are  vanity,  and  great  men  are  a  lie."  I 
know,  my  brethren,  that  there  is  a  refpe6l  and  deference 
due  to  men,  according  to  their  ilation,  and  that  a  confci- 
entious  Chriftian  will  give  them  the  fubjeftion  that  be- 
longs to  their  rank,  and  authority  in  civil  life,  "  not  only 
''  for  wrath,  but  alfo  for  confcience  fake.'*  But  this  does 
not  hinder  him,  who  watches  for  their  fouls,  to  give  them 
faithful  warning,  and,  where  it  is  neceffary,  to  debar  them 
from  the  feals  of  God's  covenant,  leil  they  fliould  at  once 
profane  his  ordinance,  and  ruin  their  own  fouls. 

I  fay,  and  I  pray  you  to  attend  to  it,  ruin  their  own  souls; 
becaufe  I  know  not  a  greater  injury  that  can  be  done  to 
the  great,  than  that  conftant  adulation  that  is  paid  to  them, 
and  that  indulgence  to  their  faults,  which,  by  weakening 
the  reproofs  of  confcience,  tends  to  hinder  their  repen- 
tance and  reformation.  I  take  this  opportunity  to  fay, 
that  if  eternity  is  of  any  moment  the  great  are  not  to  be 
envied,  but  pitied.  Some  are  hindered  by  intereil,  and 
fome  by  fear,  from  dealing  plainly  and  faithfully  widi 
them  ;  and  it  is  wonderful  to  think  how  much  the  opi- 
nions and  conduct  of  otliers  blinds  them  as  to  the  (late  of 
their  own  fouls.  It  is  recorded,  to  the  honor  of  an  anti- 
ent  bifliop,  that  for  an  aft  of  cruelty  he  debarred  the  em- 
peror himfelf  from  the  Lord's  table.  I  know  there  are  ma- 
ny who  would  pronounce  this,  immediately,  the  adt  of 
an  ambitious  and  affuming  priefl ;  but  it  will  always  be, 
in  my  eyes,  a  revered  example  of  honedy  and  faithful- 
nefs  in  a  minifter  of  Chrifl. 

IT.  I  proceed,  now,  to  the  fecond  thing  propofed,  which 
was  to  confider  the  dilFiCuh.ies  whichmay  lie  in  a  miniller's 
way,  and  tempt  hinx  to  shun  any  part  of  his  work.    Thefe 


the  njohole  Counsel  of  God.  a6l 

are  very  various,  and  not  eafy  either  to  enumerate  or  de^ 
feribe.  What  hath  ,c;enerally  made  the  greatell  imprcfilon 
upon  me,  either  from  experience  or  obfervatlon,  I  fjiall 
dwell  upon  a  liule :     it  may  be  reduced  to  the  three  Ibl- 

lowing  heads, Slotli  or  worldlinefs  in  ourfelves,. 

the  prejudices  of  our  people, and  the  oppofition  of  our 

enemies. 

I.  Sloth  or  worldlinefs  in  minifrers,  themfelves,  mav 
tempt  them  to  fliun  feme  part   of  their  work.     You   will 
fee,  from  the  preceding  obfervations,  that  the  work  of  a 
miniller  is  both  extenfive  and  difficult.      It  requires   the 
greateft  intention  of  mind,  the  application,  fo  to    Ipeak, 
of  the  whole  m.an.     It  requires  judgment  to  lay  down  the 
plan,  diligence  and  perfeverance  to  carry  it  into  executi- 
on.    Now  flothfulnefs,  and  alove  ofeafe  or  pleafure,  to 
which  we  have   all  too  great  a  bias,  mu/l  be  a  very  dan- 
gerous temptation  ;    to  evade   fome  part  of  the  duty,  or 
flur  it  over  in  a  flight  or  carelefs  manner.     ''There  is  a  ve- 
ry great  difference  between  doing  our  work  in   fome  fort, 
or  fo  as  to  avoid  puniihment  from  our  fuperiors,  efpecial- 
ly  at  a  time  when  the  reins  of  government  are  not  held 
very  hard,  and  doing  it  with  that  zeal  and  application 
which  a  concern  for  the  glory  of  God,  and    love   to  the 
fouls    of  men,    fliould  habitually  infpire.     We  have  all 
reafon  to  be  aihamed,  that  the  important  objeas  we  have 
in  view,  and  the  interefting  fubjects  we  have  to  treat  of, 
do  not  put  an  edge  upon  our  fpirits,  and  deliver  us  from 
that   lazy  unconcerned  manner,  which  is   equally  diflio- 
norable  to  God,  and  hurtful  to  the  fouls  of  men.     I  take 
the  liberty  to  obferve,  that  llothfulnefs  is  very  incident  to 
perfons  of  confiderable  abilities  ;   inflead  of  being  excited 
to  improve  their  talents,  they  are   inclined    to   truft   to 
them.     Finding,  by  experience,  that  thty  can  do  tolera- 
bly v/ith  but  little  pains,  they  foon  come  to  content  ihem- 
lelves  v/ith  next  to  none.     Perhaps   I  might   apply  here 
tlie  common    obfcrvation,  that   as  few   know  their  own 
weakncfs,  fo  as  few  know  their  own   ftrenglh,  or  what 
they  might  do  by  the  confcitntious  improvement   of  their 
natiu-al  powers.     AVe  have  fcen  many  examples   of  per- 
fons of  weak  capacity,  who,  by  the  l^elp  of  piety  and  iXu 
Vol.  II.  2  K 


'X^'i  Mnisterlal  Fidelity  in  declaring 

ligence,  have  done  evefy  part  of  their  minillerial  duty, 
ill  a  manner-far  faperior  to  thofe  of  much  greater  talents, 
v/hofe  heart  did  not  lie  to  their  work. 

The  danger  of  fioth,  as  a  temptation,  will  appear,  in 
the  ilrongeft  light,  from  what  has  been  faid,  on  the  fide- 
lity of  a  miiiiiler  in  declaring  all  the  counfel  of  God.  He 
may  not  only  deal  with  a  Hack  hand,  and  do  his  work  im- 
perfeftly ;  but,  as  it  coufifts  of  very  different  parts,  he 
may  chufe  the  eafier,  and  leave  the  harder.  He  may  ap- 
ply chiedy  to  wha.t  is  moft  pleafant  to  himfelf,  or  what 
o-ives  him  the  greatefl  opportunity  to  fhine  in  the  eyes  of 
others,  while  he  neglects  thofe  parts  that  are  more  bur- 
denfome  to  the  flefh.  The  danger  of  this  is  the  greater, 
that  thofe  parts  of  a  minifler  s  work,  to  which  a  flothful 
mind  is  ufually  moft  reluctant,  are  alio  tlicfe,  the  negle£u 
of  which  can  be  moft  eafily  palliated  or  concealed.  And, 
indeed,  it  is  wonderful  to  think  what  ingenious  excufcs 
men  will  invent  for  the  neglect  of  thofe  duties  which  they 
have  no  inclination  to  perform.  I  have  often  heard  mi- 
nifters  endeavor  to  prove,  that  vifitation  of  families,  which 
doubtlefs  is  a  very  fatiguing,  was  alfo  a  very  unprofitable 
and  unneceffary  piece  of  fervice,  than  which,  I  think, 
there  never  was  any  thing  more  manifeftly  falfe.  It  is 
not  only,  when  executed  with  fidelity,  of  great  immedi- 
ate ufe,  in  itfelf,  but,  by  giving  a  minifter  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  his  people,  enables  him  to  perform  every 
other  part  of  his  Vv'ork  with  the  greater  propriety  and  fuc- 
cefs.  A  miniaer  ought  to  be  like  a  fervant,  wholly  at 
his  mafter's  difpofal,  who  has  no  choice  as  to  his  work, 
but  is  ready  to  obey  vrhat  God,  in  his  Providence,  fliall 
fee  fit  to  command  him. 

I  joined  worldlinefs  with  floth,  becaufe  they  are  near  of 
kin,  and  commouly  co-operate  one  with  another.  It  is 
not  my  intention,  in  any  part  of  this  reafoning,  to  point 
out  thole  who  are  wholly  unfaithful,  and  mean  no  more 
but  to  fnear  the  fleece,  without  caring  for  the  flock ;  but 
to  fliew  how  thofe  linful  difpofitions,  which,  in  part,  take 
place  in  every  one  of  us,  if  they  be  fuffered  to  gather 
llrength,  may  cbftruft  us  in  our  duty.  Too  many  world- 
ly cares,  or   too  much  indulgence  of  worldly  pleafure. 


the  ivhole  Coumcl  of  God,  263 

muftbe  a  very  danprerons  temptation  totliofe  who  are  in- 
truflecl  with  the  care  of  fouls.  The  apodle  Paul  fays  of 
himfelf,  that  he  was  ''  feparated  to  die  gofpel  of  God,"  fo 
is  every  niinifter  of  Chvift.  A  prudent  attention  to  his 
necef/ary  provifion,  indeed,  and  ordering  his  r.fTairs  with 
difcretion,  is  not  only  lawful,  but  highly  iifeful  and  ex- 
pedient ;  as  it  frees  hirii  from  anxiety,  and  gives  him 
greater  liberty  of  mind  for  profecuting  the  ends  of  his  call- 
ing. But  for  one,  appointed  to  labor  in  holy  things,  to 
be  either  fordidly  covetous,  or  from  interefled  ambitious 
views  to  follow  worldly  occupations,  is  certainly  either  a 
facrlleoious  breach  of  trull,  or  an  unreafonable  and  oflen- 
five  diflrufl:  of  God. 

2.  Another   very  great  difHcidty,    which  often  lies  in 
the  way  of  a  niinifler,  arifes  from  the  prejudices  of  his 
people.     It  would  be  idle  to  fuppofe,  that   ever  v/e  Ihall 
iind  a  people,  among  whom  there  are  no  n^iflaken  notions, 
or  unjuft  prepoflefTions,  which  it  is   our  duty,  with   pru- 
dence, but  at  the  fame  time  with  honefly,  to  withfland. 
As  no  congregation  can  expe6l  to  meet  with  a  perfect  mi- 
niller  ;  fo  no  mini  Her  fhould  expe(!l  to  meet  with  a  fault- 
lefs  congregation.     If  there  were  any  fuch,  there  would 
be  little  need  of  a  minifter  at  all.  You  are  to  obferve,  that 
I  do  not  here  chiefly  intend  that  bias  and  propenfity  to  lin, 
which  is  natural  to  us  all,  which  reigns  in  the  wicked,  and 
ilruggles  for  indulgence  in  the  good ;   and,  which,   there- 
fore, calls  for    "  do(ftrine,  reproof,  and   corrcdtion,  and 
"  inflruftion ,  in  righteoufnefs."     Though  I  muH  obferve, 
that  even  with  regard  to  this,  when  any  fin  is    common 
and  prevalent  in  a  place,  when  it  has  long  kept  poflelfion, 
and  has  been  generally  overlooked ;  if  a  mindler   fees  it 
his  duty  to  reprove  it  with  feverity,  and  efpecially   if  he 
will  not  tolerate  it  widiout  cenfure,  he  may  cxpedi  no  lit- 
tle difliculty  and  oppofition.     There  are  many  who  will 
complain  of  him  as  too  rigid,  and  im])ute  to   ill-nature, 
and  indifcretion,  what   arifes  from  the  dictates  of  confci- 
ence,  and  a  fenfe  of  duty.     By  bearing  open  telHmony 
againft  the   introdu£lion  di  fadiionable  amufements,  or 
conformity  to  the  world,  he  will  often  incur  not  only  the 
katred  of  the  profligate,  but  the  difapprobation  of  thofo 


364  Mmisteriol  Fidelity  in  declaring 

prudent  compilers,  who  are  at  once  afliamed  to  approve, 
and  unwilling  to  oppofe  any  fmful  relaxation. 

But  what  I  had  chiefly  in  view,  was,  to  mention  thefe 
prejudices  that  may  prevail,  with  regard  to  religion  ;   and 
which  may  be  of  fuch  a  nature,  as  a  miniiler  may  be  un- 
der a  necellity  not  only  of  refufuig  to  comply  with,  but  of 
oppoiing  in  the  moft  direQ:  and  pofitive  manner.     If  any 
error  or  miilake,  of  confequence,  prevail,  ehher  among 
his  people  in  general,  or  any  part  of  them,  either  among 
the  high  or  the  low,  the  learned  or  the  vulgar,  he  muu  en- 
deavor todeftroy'it.     There  may  be  indeed  prejudices  of 
fo  trifling  a  nature,   that,  though  he  will  never  approve 
them,  it  is  better  entirely  to  overlook  them  ;   or  in  things 
that  are  merely  indifferent,  though  unnecefiary,  according 
to  the  apoftolic  example,  of  "  becoming  all  things  to  all 
*'  men,'*  it  may  be  his  duty  fometimes  to  com.ply  with 
them.     But  this  is  not  the  cafe  v/ith  any  thing  that  affeds 
the  fubftance  of  religion,  as  to  all  which,  if  he  attempt  to 
pleafe  men,  he  is  not  the  fervant  of  Chrift.     Now,  how 
great  a  difficulty  muft  often  arife  from  fuch  circumfian- 
ces  ?  he  is  unwilling  to  lofe  his  place  in  the  efteem  and  af, 
fe6tion  of  his  people,  in  general,  but  efpecially  of  thofe 
whom  he  reckons  to  be  the  difciples  and  friends  of  Chrift. 
Yet  this  he  m.uft  fometimes  forfeit  for  a  feafon,  imlefs  he 
will  fni  againft  God,  and  thereby  deftroy  his  own  peace.v 
The  beft  v/ay  for  a  minifter  to  fupport  himfelf,  in  fuch  a 
fituation,  is,  to  remember,  that  as  to  his  integrity  before 
God,  and  the  comfort  of  his  ov/n  raindj  the  lefs  regard  he 
pays  to  the  judgment  of  men,  fo  much  the  better;   if  God 
be  for  him,  it  fignifies  little  who  be  againft  him.     And  as 
to  his  ufefulnefs,  he  may  fafely  commit  it  to  God  in  his 
providence,  vv'io  v/ill  certainly  take  care  of  it.     Since  he 
will  not  have  it  preferved  by  fmful  compHance,  he  can  ea- 
lily  reftore  it  after  it  hath  been  a  iliort  time  fufpended,  for 
confcientious  oppoiltion.     The  truth  is,  an  unfteady  per- 
fcn,  fnaken  by  the  breath  of  popular  opinion,  is  unworthy 
of  filling  the  fiaticn  of  a  minifter  of  Chrift.     As  he  fliould 
not  be  terrified  by  the  threatenings  of  the  great,  neither 
ihould  he  be  overcome  by  the  clamors  of  the'  multitude. 
And  if  neither  humor  nor  intereif ,  but  confcience,  has  in  j 


the  ivh'ole  Counsel  of  God.  26«j 

deed  been  his  guide,  he  may  rell  afhired  that  God,  infi- 
nitely wife,  will  "  bring  forth  his  rigliteoufacfs  as  the 
"  light,  and  his  judgment  as  the  noon  day." 

My  brethren,  I  diank  God,  that  i  fpeak  this  from  a  con- 
vidtionof  the  general  truth,  more  than  from  having  fufl'er- 
ed  much  in  this  refpe<5l  in  my  own  experience.  1  fliall 
mention  to  you,  however,  one  example,  that  I  may  illuf- 
trate  the  remark,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  further  difchargc 
my  own  duty.  It  hath  always  feemed  to  me  of  great  mo- 
ment, to  preferve  juft  views  of  the  facramenls,  which  are 
the  feals  of  God's  covenant,  and  the  appointed  means  of 
the  confirmation  and  comfort  of  his  own  people.  Without 
mentioning,  liovvever,  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  fupper, 
I  have  found  the  greateil  difficulty  in  prefcrving  tiie  facra- 
ment of  baptifm  from  profanation,  and  from  that  compara- 
tive difregard  under  which  it  now  lieth.  This  arifes  not 
only  from  the  laxnefs  of  difcipline  in  general,  but  from 
fome  millakes  and  prejudices  on  the  fubjeft  of  religion. 
It  appears  to  me  a  thing  undeniable,  that  both  facraments 
are  the  feals  of  the  fame  covenant,  require  the  fame  terms 
of  admiffion,  and  operate  to  the  benefit  of  the  receivers 
upon  the  very  fame  principles ;  that  is  to  fay,  according 
to  the  excellent -words  of  our  Catechifm,  "  Not  from  any 
"  virtue  in  them,  or  in  him  that  doth  adminifter  them,  but 
"  onI\'  by  the  bleffing  of  God,  and  the  working  of  his  Spi- 
*'  rit  in  them  that  by  faith  receive  them."  The  only  dif- 
ference is,  that,  in  the  Lord's  fupper,  every  believer  adls 
for  himfelf  perfonally  ;  in  the  facrament  of  ba])tifm,  when 
adnimirtcred  to  nifants,  the  parent  acts  as  a  rcprcfentative, 
and  fponfor  for  his  feed.  None,  therefore,  ought  to  be 
admitted  to  baptifm,  more  than  to  die  Lord's  fupper,  who 
have  not  a  creclible  proibffion  of  laith  in  Chrill,  ami,  in  the 
judgment  of  charity,  or  rr^her  the  judgment  of  men,  may 
be  I'uppofcd  real  Chrifilans.  Yet,  is  it  not  certain,  that 
many,  who  are  juilly  excluded  from  the  Lord's  table,  and 
fome  v/ho  never  alked  admlfiion  to  it,  do  infift  on  prefent- 
ing  their  children  to  baptifm,  and  are  pleaded  for  by  not  a 
few  of  better  charatler,  Vvho  cry  out  agalnil  the  rcfufal, 
as  an  injury  to  the  child,  befides  other  bad  confcquences 
fometimes  pretended  ? 


266  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

The  chief  complaint  is,  that  it  is  a  pity  the  child  fliould 
fufFer  for  the  fault  of  the  father.  This  is  the  very  error 
and  prejudice  in  religion,  which  I  think  it  my  duty  to  op- 
pofe.  It  arifes  from  a  remaining  degree  of  Popilh  fuper- 
ilition,  to  look  upon  the  facraments  as  fpells,  or  charms, 
which  have  fome  effedt  independent  of  the  exercife  of  faith 
in  the  receiver.  The  facraments,  my  brethren,  are  not 
grace,  but  the  means  of  it ;  they  are  not  faith,  but  are  ap- 
pointed for  the  confirmation  and  growth  of  it.  They  be- 
long to  believers  alone.  They  are  feals  of  God's  co- 
venant ;  but  they  cannot  feal  that  which  was  never  made. 
It  is  juli  as  if  a  man,  who  wanted  to  make  a  purchafe  from 
me,  whofe  terms  I  had  utterly  rejected,  and  refufed  to 
give  him  my  poffeffion,  Hiould,  notvvithftanding,  perfift  in 
writing  out  his  contract,  and  figning  it.  Would  this  be  of 
any  efi'eft  ?  A  contract  is  a  fure  title  to  the  bargain,  where 
the  confent  of  both  parties  is  afcertained  ;  but  where  one 
of  tbefe  is  wanting,  it  is  abfolutely  void,  and  of  no  eifedt. 
Infants  cannot  receive  the  facraments,  by  exercifmg  faith 
themfelves  ;  they  have  no  right  to  receive  the  fign  at  all, 
but  as  they  are  the  feed  of  believing  parents  by  profeflion. 
Neither  do  they  receive  any  real  benefit  from  it,  but  when 
they  are  the  feed  of  thofe  who  believe  fincerely.  If  it  be 
allowed,  that  an  unbeliever,  v/ho  receives  the  bread  and 
wine  at  the  Lord's  table,  receives  no  benefit  to  his  own 
foul,  how  can  it  be  imagined,  or  fuppofed,  that  an  unbe- 
lieving parent,  in  baptifm,  can  firfl;  receive,  and  then  con- 
vey benefit  to  his  new  born  child  ?  His  coming  there  at 
all,  in  fuch  a  ftate,  is  a  prefumptuous  profanation  of  a  holy 
infcitution.  Now,  though  I  can  conceive  eafily,  and  do 
believe  firmly,  that  many  bleflings  are  conveyed  to  chil- 
dren by  an  aft  of  duty  in  their  parents,  I  can  neither  con- 
ceive nor  believe,  that  they  can  receive  any  advantage  from 
an  a6l  of  profanity  and  difobedience. 

The  children  of  wicked  parents,  then,  can  receive  no 
benefit  by  baptifm,  but  what  they  would  have  whether 
they  were  baptized  or  not,  viz.  that  they  are  brought  up 
among  profeffing  Chriflians,  and  by  that  means  have 
fome  opportunities  of  knowing  the  truths  of  the  gofpeL 
And  I  cannot  help  thinking,  it  would,  in  the  courfe  oi 


the  whole  Coumel  of  God.  167 

providence,  be  an  inducement  to  them  to  attend  more 
fcrioufly  to  what  they  are  taught,  if  they  confidered  them- 
felves  as  no  members  of  the  vifible  churcli,  till  they  un- 
derllooii  the  terms  of  admiflion,  and  defired  it  as  their 
own  choice.  The  cafe  is  very  different  with  the  child- 
ren of  real  behevers  ;  they  have  aright  to  all  the  promifes 
that  are  made  to  the  feed  of  believers,  as  liich,  by  that  God 
who  "  flieweth  mercy  to  thoufands  of  generations  of  them 
"  that  keep  his  commandments.'*  Some,  I  believe  ma- 
ny, think  that  they  are  doing  honor  to  the  facrament  of 
baptifm,  by  reprefenting  the  rite  itfelf  as  of  fo  great  necel- 
fity  ;  but  it  is  precifely  that  fort  of  honor  that  the  Papifts 
do  to  it,  by  caufuig  midwives  and  phyficians  inflantly 
baptize  the  children  that  are  in  a  weak  flate,  or  by  run- 
ning to  the  beds  of  the  fick,  with  a  little  of  the  confecrated 
wafer,  and  putting  it  in  the  mouth  of  a  perfon  either 
wholly  infenfible,  or,  perhaps,  already  dead.  Our  fa- 
thers, in  the  purer  times  of  this  church,  whofc  inftitutions 
and  practice,  the  longer  I  live,  I  do  the  more  elleem  and 
revere,  in  the  moft  abfolute  manner,  prohibited  all  private 
baptifm.  Their  great  reafon  for  this  was  to  prevent  the 
very  abufe  I  have  been  fpeaking  of,  viz.  the  fupcdlitious 
notion  of  the  neceffity  of  the  outward  rite  to  falvation, 
without  a  due  attention  to  the  manner  of  receiving  it. 
And,  indeed,  it  was  their  only  reafon  ;  for  they,  who  were 
fo  great  enemies  to  the  confecration  of  places,  and  the  ho- 
linefs  of  ilones  or  timber,  could  n«ver  think  that  baptifm, 
adminiftsred  according  to  ClirlR's  appointment,  was  in- 
valid for  bein^  done  in  a  private  houfe,  and  not  in  a  church, 
or  in  the  pre  fence  of  a  fmall,  rather  than  a  numerous  af- 
fembly. 

Thelc  things,  my  brethren,  which  I  have  often  menti- 
oned occalionally,  I  have  now  repeated,  and  will  add  to 
them,  that  I  think  there  is  fomcthing  very  inconj.;;ruous,  at 
leall  unfuitable,  in  admitting  any  parent  to  prefent  his 
child  in  baptifm,  whatever  be  his  charafter  in  other  re- 
fpccts,  who  has  never  afked  admiflion  to  the  Lord's  table, 
Confider,  that  in  the  adminillration  of  baptifm,  the  parent 
is  conllantly taken  bound  to  command  his  children,  fo  fooii 
as  tliey  come  to  vears,  to  renew  their  baptifmal  engagement 


20^ 


Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 


intheirpwnperfons.  Now,whateonfiftencyisthere,inalIov/= 
ing  a  man  to  pledge  his  faith  folemnly  to  God  and  his  church, 
that  he  will  command  his  child  to  do  that  which  he  habitual- 
ly negle£ls  to  do  hirafclf.  The  pretence  of  fear,  and  unpre- 
parednefs  for  the  Lord's  table,  is  a  condemnation  of  thofe 
wlio  offer  it,  becaufe  it  fiiev/s,  that  they  fuppofe  the  one 
facrament  requires  a  different  character  or  eafier  terms  of 
admiffion  than  the  other.  After  all,  the  above  prejudices 
feein  to  nie  fo  deeply  rooted  with  m.any,  that  they  will  not 
probably  be  loon  deftroyed  ;  but  I  think  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  miniller,  in  that,  and  all  fuch  cafes,  to  fpeak  his 
niind  plainly,  and,  to  the  utmoft  of  his  power,  to  a6l  con- 
fidently and  uniformly,  though  he  Ihould  fuffer  by  the  flan- 
ders  both  of  the  ignorant  and  profane. 

3.  The  lail  difficulty  which  I  fliall  mention,  as  lying  in 
the  way  of  minifters,  is  the  oppofition  of  their  enemies. 
No  faithful  minifter  can  expeft  to  be  without  enemies. 
In  a  private  character,  and  retired  way  of  life,  a  man 
may,  by  very  great  prudence,  and  particularly  by  filence 
and  forbearance,  in  a  great  meafure,  efcape  the  refent- 
ment  or  injuries  of  violent  men.  And  to  be  as  little  em- 
broiled with  others  as  poffible,  is  both  our  intereft  and  our 
dutv.  "  If  it  be  poffible,"  fays  the  Apoftie,  "  and  as  much 
"  as  in  you  lieth,  live  peaceably  with  all  men."  But  it  is 
certain,  from  long  and  invariable  experience,  that  there  is 
fuch  enmity  a.nd  rancor  in  the  hearts  of  wicked  men 
againft  ail  who  are  in  good  earned:  about  religion,  that 
they  may  lay  their  account  with  continual  oppofition,  and 
continual  flander.  This  our  Saviour  teaches  his  difciples 
to  expedl,  and  fhews  them,  that  it  is  the  neceffary  confe- 
quence  of  their  relation  to  him,  John,  xv.  18,  19,  20,  21. 
*■'  If  the  woi-id  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before  it 
*'*  hated  you.  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love 
"  his  own  ;  but,  becaufe  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have 
"  chofenyou  outofthe  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  you. 
♦'  Remember  the  word  that  I  faid  unto  you.  The  fervant 
*'  is  not  greater  than  the  Lord.  If  they  have  perfecuted 
"  me,  they  will  alfo  perfecute  you.  If  they  have  kept  my 
"  faving,  they  will  keep  your's  alfo.  But  all  thcfe  things 
•'  wiU  they  do  unto  you  for  my  name's  fake*,  becaufe  they 


the  "whole  Counsel  of  God,  269 

"  know  not  him  that  fent  me." — The  apofilc  Paul  alfo 
bears  his  telliniony  to  the  lame  truth,  2  Tim.  iii.  12. 
"  Yea,  and  all  that  will  lire  godly  in  Chrill  Jefus,  ihall 
"  fufFer  j3erfc'cution." 

But,  if  wicked  men  are  injurious  to  the  children 
God  in  general,  their  malice  mull  be  particularly  whetted 
againfl:  a  miniller,  fo  far  as  he  does  his  duty.  He  is  placed 
in  a  public  fiation,  and  is  obliged  to  be  adlive  in  his 
Mailer's  caufe.  Timc-ferving  or  neutrality,  as  to  the  in- 
tereft  of  religion,  is  commendable  in  none,  but  it  is  un- 
pardonable in  him.  He  mufl  bear  teftimony  openly  and 
rcfolutely  a.-^ainil  vice  and  wickednefs.  And  reproof, 
when  adminillered  with  feverity,  is  certain  of  making  either 
a  friend  or  an  enemy.  A  faithful  miniller  will  not  fuf- 
fer  Satan's  kingdom  to  be  at  peace  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is 
no  wonder,  that,  when  they  are  gnawing  their  tongues 
with  pain,  they  fliould  pour  out  their  venom  againll  him, 
who  gives  them  fo  much  diilurbance.  The  cffedt  of  re- 
proof, in  kindling  the  rage  and  malice  of  the  guilt}^  was 
never  better  defcribed  than  in  the  account  of  the  trial  and 
martyrdom  of  Stephen,  particularly  Acts  vii.  54.  "Wheii 
"  they  heard  thele  things,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and 
**  they  gnaflied  on  him  with  their  teeth." 

I'here  are  many  ways  by  which  the  enmity  and  oppofi- 
tion  of  wicked  men  to  the  truth  may  prove  a  temptation 
to  a  minifter  :  a  few  of  which  I  fliall  mention,  as  1  hope 
the  diflindl  knowledge  of  them  may  be  profitable  to  you 
in  the  way  of  caution  :  ill,  As  one  of  their  chief  weapons 
is  contempt  and  derifion,  he  may  be  in  danger  of  conceal- 
ing or  perverting  truth,  in  fomc  degree,  in  order  to  avoid 
it.  When  the  gofpel  of  Chrilt  was  firfl:  publlflied,  the 
do6lrine  of  the  crofs,  we  are  told,  was  "to  the  Jews  a 
**  Itumbling-block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolifluiefs."  The 
fame  truth,  in  its  fimplicity,  is  Hill  treated  with  fcorn  by 
profane  and  worldly  men.  All  that  relates  to  it  is  con- 
lidcrcd  as  weaknels  and  abfurdity  ;  and  the  miniller,  who 
infills  upon  it,  mulllofe  his  charader  with  many  for  capa- 
city and  judgment.  Is  not  this  known  to  6e  true  in  daily 
experience  ?  Are  not  fuch  immediately  lligmatized  as 
weak  and  babbling  creatures  ?     Now,  it  is  not  altogether 

Vei.  U.  2  L 


270  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

aneafy  facrlficefor  a  minifler,  to  be  indifFerent  as  to  the 
opinion  formed  of  his  parts  and  fufficiency,  to  wait  till 
time  fhall  do  him  juflice,  or  to  be  altogether  unconcerned 
whether  it  ever  do  him  juftice  or  not.  It  is  no  trifling 
thing  to  become  a  fool  in  the  eye  of  the  worldy^?;-  Christ's 
sake^  s.n.d  not  to  be  ashamed  of  his  cross.  It  may  make 
many  avoid  fuch  fubjcdls,  at  leaft,  more  than  they  ought, 
or,  perhaps,  attempt  to  give  them  a  polite  or  modifli  drefs, 
which,  of  all  others,  is  the  mod  unfuitable  to  them  ;  or  it 
may  make  others  go  to  the  oppofite  extreme,  who,  be- 
caufe  they  find  that  fuch  truths  will  be  dcfpifed,  are  at  no 
pains  to  avoid  adding  to  the  offence,  by  a  filly  and  con- 
temptible, or  a  crude  and  indigefled  manner  of  handling 
them.  T  know  not,  indeed,  a  more  difficult  thing,  nor 
do  I  know  any  thing  more  noble  in  a  minifler,  than  to 
"  ceafe  from  man,  whofe  breath  is  in  his  noflrils,"  to  be 
truly  fuperiorto  the  applaufe  or  cenfure  of  either  one  clafs 
or  anoiher  of  his  hearers,  and  therefore  to  avoid  a  vain 
difplay  of  human  art ;  but,  at  the  fame  time,  from  a  fenfe 
of  duty  to  God,  and  veneration  for  his  truths,  to  be  at  all 
due  pains  to  treat  them  properly,  fo  as  they  may  appear 
with  light  and  evidence  to  the  underilanding,  and  come 
home  with  force  upon  the  confcience.  Such  a  man  will 
bring  forth  the  doftrines  of  the  gofpel  in  their  own  un- 
adorned majefty  and  native  fimplicity  ;  he  will  not  con- 
fider  himfelf  as  preaching  before  his  hearers  as  criticks  ; 
for  what  are  they  to  him  in  this  view  ?  but  he  will  confi- 
der  himfelf  as  preaching  to  them  as  finners,  and  pleading 
with  them  as  immortal  creatures,  tottering  upon  the  very- 
brink  of  eternal  perdition. 

2dly,  The  oppofition  of  enemies  may  tempt  men  of  lit- 
tle courage  to  fmful  filence  for  their  own  quiet.  When 
vice  is  prevalent,  it  is  alfo  commonly  infolent  and  refent- 
ful.  Now,  the  hatred  or  ill-will  of  no  perfon  is  defirable  ; 
'  and  there  are  a  thoufand  v/ays  in  which  any  perfon  of  a 
revengeful  fpirit  may  be  hurtful.  There  are  alfo  veiy 
few  fo  unconnected,  but  that  they  have  many  friends, 
whofe  hatred  is  to  be  encountered  as  well  as  their  own. 
The  influence  of  this  is  but  too  much  feen  in  every  place. 
Oilenders  are  often  fcrcened  from  reproof  or  cenfure. 


the  lubole  Counsel  of  God.  271 

through  fear  of  provokiiif^  them  or  their  relations.  Neither 
is  it  at  all  difficult  to  find  palllarinp^  arguments,  draw  u 
from  prudence,  or  other  confiderations  to  make  us  tlank 
it  is  necelTary  to  forbear.  I  believe  this  is  very  much  the 
fault  of  the  prefent  ap;e,  and  the  greater  and  more  general 
the  relaxation  of  difcipline  in  any  age  or  place,  the  more 
difficult  and  dangerous  it  is  for  any  one  to  flep  forth  and 
aflert  its  dignity  and  obligation.  And  yet  I  cannot  help 
thinking,  the  great  excellence  of  difcipline,  is  its  impar- 
tiality, not  to  refpedl  perfons  in  judgment.  How  can  we 
defend  ourfclves,  if  we  make  cnc  hw  for  one,  and  ano- 
ther for  another  ;  if  we  cenfure  the  fmall,  and  forgive  the 
great  ? 

3dly,  Minificrs  of  weak  minds  may  be  apt  to  fink  un- 
der the  ojipofition  of  the  wicked.  It  is  faid  of  Lot,  dwell- 
ing in  Sodom,  that  he  was,  2  Peter  ii.  7,  8.  " — Vexed 
"  with  the  filthy  converfation  of  the  wicked  ;  for  that 
"  righteous  man  dwelling  among  them,  in  feeing  and 
*'  hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  foul  from  day  to  day  with 
♦*  their  unlawful  deeds."  It  certainly  needs  no  fmall 
meafure  of  fortitude  and  holy  refolution,  to  perfift  in  the 
difcharge  of  our  duty,  noiwithfianding  the  obllinacy  of 
finners,  and  to  feek  our  comfort,  under  continual  obloquy, 
from  the  approbation  of  him,  that  judgeth  rigiiteouily. 
At  the  fame  time,  I  mu(l  fay,  that  the  friendfliip  of  wick- 
ed men  is  much  more  dangerous  than  their  enmity  ;  for 
the  firfl:  brings  with  it  the  danger  of  fcduftion,  and  the 
lafl  only  expofes  us  to  fuffering,  which,  though  itfelf  is  a 
fpecies  of  temptation,  as  I  fliall  immediately  fliew,  is 
much  lefs  powerful  than  the  other. 

4thly,  Tiie  oppofition  of  wicked  men  may  prove  a  temp, 
tation,  as  it  may  bring  forth  tiie  remains,  of  corruption 
that  are  in  the  hearts  of  good  men,  and  make  them  fih, 
by  imprudence  or  paffion,  if  not  by  refentment.  I  havti 
no  where  fuppofed  that  minillers  are  faultkfs  in  their  con- 
du6V. ;  they  may,  no  doubt,  err  confiderably  in  many 
circumftances,  even  when  their  intention,  upon  the  whole, 
is  juft  and  laudable.  We  fee  rnany  examples  of  great 
imprudence,  which  we  need  not  wonder  at,  v/hen  wci 
conlider  the  difficulties  with  which  they  arc  every  where 


273  MinisUrial  Fidelity  in  dedarin^ 


furrounded,  and  the  enemies  that  wait  for  their  halting. 
If  we  confider  that  Mofes,  the  meekeft  man  on  earth, 
fpoke  unadvifedly  with  his  hps  upon  great  provocation, 
we  Ihall  perceive  it  is  but  a  part  of  the  weaknefs  of  huma- 
nity, when  we  fee  others  fall  into  the  fame  fnare.  But, 
as  to  lafling  refentment,  he  deferveth  not  the  name  of  a 
Chriftian,  much  lefs  of  a  minifter,  who  will  continue  to 
harbor  it  in  his  breaft  ;  he  muft  love  his  enemies;  he  muft 
blefs  them  that  curfe  him,  and  pray  for  them  that  defpitc- 
fully  ufe  him,  and  perfecute  him.  This  is  not  merely  a 
thing  amiable  and  excellent,  but  of  the  moft  abfolute  ne- 
ceffity  ;  for  our  Saviour  fays  exprefsly,  "  If  ye  forgive  not 
*'  men  their  trefpaffes,  neither  will  your  heavenly  Father 
"  forgive  you  y»ur  trefpaffes."  And,  bleffed  be  God,  there 
is  nothing  difficult  or  burdenfome  in  this  part  of  a  Chrif- 
tian's  duty.  Thercis  nofuch  vi6lory  over  evil,  as  over- 
coming it  with  good.  There  is  no  fuch  confolation  under 
the  injuries  of  fmners,  as  requiting  them  by  prayer.  It 
compofeth  the  fpirit ;  it  purifieth  the  heart,  and  autho- 
rizes the  believer  to  put  his  truil  in  God,  and  fay  with  the 
Pfalmift,  Pfal.  xxvii.  i.  *'  The  Lord  is  my  light  and  my 
*'  falvation,  whom  Ihall  I  fear  ?  the  Lord  is  the  ftrength 
*'  of  my  life,  of  whom  Ihall  I  be  afraid  ?" 

III.  I  proceed  now,  in  the  laft  place,  to  make  fome 
practical  improvement  of  this  fubjeft;  particularly,  by 
giving  you  my  parting  advices  in  the  fpirit  of  this  pailage, 
and  to  the  belt  of  my  judgment,  in  a  manner  fuited  to 
your  fituation.     But,  before  I  do  this,  in  the 

ill  Place,  Let  me  befeech  eveiy  fmncr  in  this  afiembly, 
to  hearken  to  the  meil'age  of  the  gofpel,  and  to  believe  in 
the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  "  that,  believing,  they  may 
*'  have  life  through  his  name."  This  is  the  fubflance  of 
the  counsel  of  God,  "  that  Chrift  died  on  the  crofs  to  lave 
♦*  fmners,  and  that  there  is  no  falvation  in  any  other.'* 
You  are  bleiled  who  hear  the  joyful  found,  but  infinitely 
more  blefied,  if  you  lay  it  to  heart,  and,  renouncing  every 
other  claim,  reil  your  dependance  upon  this  Saviour. 
What  ignorance  doth  it  Ihew,  if  you  truft  in  yourfelves, 
that  yoti  are  righteous  ?  Will  you  be  able  to  Hand  before 


the  ivbote  counsel  of  God.  1^3 

God  in  judgment  ?  It  is  to  him  you  muR  anfvvcr,  and 
from  him  you  mufl  receive  your  lentencc.  You  may 
cafily,  indeed,  llifle  thefe  refleclioiis  for  a  time,  and  bury 
every  apprehenfion,  in  the  hurr}^  of  worldly  bufuicfs,  or  the 
intoxication  of  worldly  pleafure  ;  but  all  thefe  tilings  are 
coming-  quickly  to  an  end.  After  a  few  more  turns  in 
this  vain  world,  the  body  muft  be  laid  in  the  dull,  and 
the  fpirit  muft  go  to  its  own  place  ;  that  is  to  Hiy,  either 
the  manfions  of  glory,  or  die  place  of  torment.  I  fay  thefe 
things  to  you,  my  brediren,  with  all  plainnefs.  They 
need  no  additional  force  of  language  to  give  them  weight. 
It  is  an  amazing  proof  of  die  deceitfulncl's  of  fin,  that  we 
are  ever  able  to  forget  them.  It  is  wonderful,  indeed, 
that  finners  are  able  to  fleep  in  quiet,  and  to  uidulge  them- 
felves  in  worldly  pleafure,  while  they  are  fufpended  by 
nothing  but  the  frail  thread  of  life  over  tlie  bottomlefs 
pit.  GlacUy  would  I  make  ufe  of  every  circumitance 
that  could  have  any  effed  in  carrying  home  thefe  truths 
upon  the  confciences  of  all  here  prefent. 

If  that  of  my  being  now  fpeaking  to  you,  for  the  laft 
time,  in  all  probability,  while  in  the  body,  can  be  of  any 
ufe,  I  pray,  let  it  not  be  forgotten.  But  is  it  not  ftrange, 
that  a  circumftance  of  this  nature  lliould  excite  fo  much 
curiofity  and  attention,  and  things  that  happen  every  day, 
of  the  fame  or  a  like  nature,  fliould  be  fo  little  imj^roved  ? 
It  is  not,  indeed,  every  day  that  a  minifter  is  removed 
from  his  charge  ;  but  there  are  not  many  da}s,  in  which 
fome  of  his  people  are  not  removed  from  this  Hate  of  trial. 
Many  are  hearing  a  farewel  fermon,  though  not  to  the  mi- 
nifter,  yet  to  themfelves,  when  they  little  think  of  it.  I 
would,  tlierefore,  earneftly  befeech  all  who  are,  or  have 
reafon  to  fufpc6l  themfelves  to  be  in  an  unreconciled  ftatc, 
to  turn  from  their  trangrelhons,  that  they  may  live  ;  to  lay 
hold  of  the  mercy  of  God  through  Chrift,  for  their  pardon; 
and  live,  by  faith,  on  his  promifcd  ftrength,  for  their  fanc- 
tification. 

2dly,  Notwithftanding  this  general  addrefs,  I  have  a 
few  words  to  fay  to  the  loofe  and  profligate.  1  am  forry 
to  diink,  that,  in  a  place  like  this,  of  no  very  great  extent, 
there  Ihould  be  fo  many  daring  fmners,  who  let  every 
thing  iiicred  at  defiance.    It  hatli  been  obferved,  and  I  be- 


274  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring  ' 

lieve  with  truth,  that  the  profane  among  us  carry  it  with  a 
greater  degree  of  hardinefs  and  infolence,  than  in  places 
of  fuperior  note,  and  where,  probably,  they  are  in  much 
greater  numbers.  I  believe  it  may  be,  in  part,  owing  to 
this  circumftance,  that  they  are  better  known ;  fo  that 
they  mufi;  either  be  open  profligates,  or  not  profligates  at 
all.  There  is  no  medium  ;  the  fliame  cannot  be  avoid- 
ed :  and,  therefore,  it  muft  be  overcome  ;  fmce  they  will 
not  be  reftrained,  and  cannot  be  concealed,  it  lays  them 
under  an  unhappy  necelfiiy  of  keeping  profanity  in  coun- 
tenance. Perhaps  alfo  an o. her  reafon  may  be,  that,  not 
being  tied  by  any  principle  of  confcience,  they  are  alfo 
deftitute  of  that  fenfe  of  decency  which  has  a  confiderable 
influence  on  the  outward  conduct  of  thofe  of  higher  rank. 
But,  whatever  be  the  reafan,  their  ftate  is  to  be  pitied.  Let 
me  befeech  all  fuch,  to  confider  the  terrible  efFefts  of  vice 
which  are  every  day  to  be  feeii.  Remember,  I  pray  you, 
how  many  have  fallen  a  facrifice  to  drunkennefs  and  lull ! 
Can  you  fay  deliberately,  in  a  fober  moment,  that  there 
is  any  profit  in  your  choice  ?  Is  there  any  pleafure  in  re- 
flecting on  fcenes  of  riot  and  diffipation  ?  I  know  not 
whether  to  recal  to  your  memory  ihofe  whom  death  has 
taken  away,  or  point  out  to  your  obfervation  thofe  who 
are  fufFered  to  remain.  What  a  melancholy  fight  is  an 
eld  worn-out  finner,  who  has  broken  his  conllitution,  taint- 
ed his  chara6ler,  and  wafted  his  fubftance  !  You  let  us  fee 
well  enough  in  what  manner  you  chufe  to  live  ;  but  I 
would  gladly  know  in  what  manner  you  chufe,  or  indeed, 
in  what  manner  you  expeft  to  die.  You  cannot  live  al- 
v/ays.  Some  of  you  cannot  live  long.  Suppofe  you  had 
time  given  you  for  reflection  on  a  death  bed,  or  children 
to  whom  you  would  leave  a  tew  words  of  advice.  Could 
you  fay  to  them,  "  O  !  my  dear  children,  the  many  de- 
"  lightful  nights  that  I  have  fpent  in  roaring,  and  fvvearing, 
"  and  obfcene  jefting  !  O  the  delicious  hours  that  I  have 
*'  fpent  in  brothels  among  harlots  !  It  gives  me  pleafure 
*'  to  think  that  you  will  follow  fo  good  an  example,  and 
*'  revive  the  memory  of  your  Father^s  condu6t.  Guard 
"  againft  every  thing  that  may  tempt  you  to  forfake  it. 
"  Beware  of  thofe  cunning  priefls  that  would  feduce  you 


the  IV hole  Counsel  of  God,  27c 

•*  to  religion  ?"  Arc  fuch  fentiments,  my  brethren  to 
the  laft  degree,  irifupportable  ?  Are  they  almoft  impro 
per  to  defcribe  ?  What  then  mufl  be  the  life  that  lays  an 
evident  loiindation  for  them  ?  Why  are  you  fo  impatient 
ofthe  reproofs  or  admonitions  ofthofe  who  bleed  inward- 
ly for  your  folly  ?  It  is  not  inchnation,  but  duty,  that 
prompts  us.  No  man  would  provoke  your  rage  and  vio- 
lence, if  he  could  avoid  it.  Think  then,  I  befeech  you 
on  your  condition,  and  pray  that  God,  for  Chrill's  Ihke' 

may  grant  your  repentance  unto  life. The  wicked 

having  received  warning, 

I  mufl  now  endeavor  to  execute  what  I  chiefly  intend- 
ed m  the  clofe  of  this  difcourfe,  by  giving  you  fome  ad 
vices,  as  a  people  making  profefTion  of  faith  in  Chrift 
and  obedience  to  him.  They  will  all,  or  moft  of  them* 
confifl  of  what  I  have  frequently  taken  notice  of  occafion-' 
ally,  and  have  now  only  felcfted  as  matters  of  ^reneial 
moment.  ^ 

I.  Let  me  befeech  you  to  do  your  utmofl  to  underftand 
thegofpel  well;  but  let  it  be  always  accompanied  widi 
praetice,  and  applied  to  promote  the  power  of  the   fpiri- 
tual  life.    I  would  have  your  tafte  exercfed  to  difcern  good 
and  evil.     Endeavor,  by  reading,  hearing,  and  medita- 
tion   and  you  may  add  mutual  converfe,  to  underlland 
the  doarine  of  falvation,  by  grace,  in  all  its  parts.    Learn 
to  know  the  meaning  of  forgivenefs  being  free,  viz.  that 
the  firmer  is  juftly  liable  to  wrath ;  that  Chrilt  hath  pur- 
chaled,  and  God,  of  his  infinite,  unmerited   mercy,  has 
offered  a  full  pardon  to  the  chief  of  finners,  and  grace  to 
form  them  for  his  own  fervice  ;  that  it  is  their  duty  to  ac- 
cept of  It ;  that  it  is  their  intcrefi  to  rely  upon  it ;  and  that 
K  is  at  their  peril  if  they  defpife  it.     That  for  a  finner  to 
think  he  muft  firfi  do  fome  things  that  are  good,  in  order 
to  found  his  title  to  this  very  mercy,  is  injurious  to  the 
riches  of  divine  grace,  and  the  way  to  retard,  if  not  to 
prevent  his  reformation.     The  renewing  of  liis  nature  is 
apartofChrifl'spurchafe;  and,  therefore,  not  to  be  per- 
lormed  by  him  as  a  condition,  but  accepted  as  a  piomilb- 
nor  does  he  truly  receive  Chrill  ior  falvation,  unlels  he  re- 
ceive and  fubmit  to_him  in  all  tlie  charadters  with  which 


276  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

he  is  invefled,  as  fent  of  God,  viz.  Prophet,  Prieft,  and 
King.  Holinefs,  or  nev/  obedience,  is  die  fruit  of  faith. 
A  real  believer  keeps  the  commandments  of  God  by  the 
ftrength  of  that  grace  that  is  treafured  up  in  Chrift,  and 
watchfully  obferyes  his  temper  and  pra^ice,  as  the  evi- 
dence of  his  change,  and  tending  to  fliew  that  he  is  indeed 
an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit.  To  have  evan- 
gelical principles,  is,  by  ne  means,  to  negledl  the  com- 
mandments of  God ;  but  to  deny  our  own  righteoufnefs 
and  firength,  and  obey,  without  glorying  in  that  obedience. 
And  that  this  is  the  jufi:  and  fcriptural  view  of  the  matter, 
I  think,  is  undeniable,  on  this  fmgle  account,  "  that  it  is 
"  God  that  worketh  in  us  to  will,  and  to  do  of  his  good 
"  pleafure."  If  every  thing  that  is  good  in  us  is  the  work 
of  God,  it  is  abfurd  to  reprefent  it  as  the  condition  of  his 
favor;  for  it  is  the  effedt  of  his  grace.  By  fetting  the 
thing  in  this  light,  v/e  fhall  perceive,  that  the  freenefs  6f 
falvation,  is  not,  in  the  lead  degree,  giving  liberty  to  fin, 
or  taking  away  the  neceffity  of  holinefs.  Is  it  not  jufb  as 
neceffary,  if  it  mufi:  be  received  as  a  gift,  as  if  it  were  to 
be  performed  as  a  condition  ?  Is  it  not  juft  as  necelfary 
when  incorporated  with  faith,  as  when  divided  from  it  ? 

This  fyflem  of  gofpel  truth,  my  brethren,  I  would 
have  you  to  underftand,  fo  as  both  to  difcern  and  dif- 
approve  what  is  contrary  to  it;  but  I  would  have  you  to 
miderftand  it,  in  order  to  produce  union  with  God,  ha- 
bitual and  chearful  obedience  to  his  laws.  In  recom- 
mending the  connection  between  faith  and  pradlice.  I 
mean  to  guard  you  againlt  two  things  diftant  from  one 
another.v  The  one  is  habitual  untendernefs  of  confcience. 
There  are  certainly  ibme  who  are  either  real,  or  at  leaft 
pretended  friends  to  the  doftrine  of  the  gofpel,  on  whofe 
hearts  it  never  yet  hath  taken  hold.  They  plainly  and 
habitually  live  in  the  practice  of  fin,  and  therefore  are  of 
thofe  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteoufncfs.  I  am  indeed 
of  opinion,  that  they  never  had  any  other  than  a  cuftoma- 
ry  traditionary  belief.  They  are  found  becaufe  it  is  the 
mode  where  they  live  to  be  found,  and  not  from  any  in- 
ward perfonal  conviction.  In  the  mean  time,  they  are  a 
reproach  to  their  profeflfion,  and  cannot  be-treated  with 
too  great  feverity,  by   thofe  who  wifli  well  to  the  gofpel. 


the  ivhole  Counsel  of  God.  277 

The  other  miftake  I  would  guard  you  againfl  is,  a  fpe- 
culative  religion.  It  is  good  to  be  well  inflrudled  in  doc- 
trinal truths  ;  but  there  is  often  a  danger  of  going  too 
mucli  into  controveriy.  We  have  feen  many  inltances 
of  ordinary  Chriflians,  who,  when  they  had  attained  a 
confiderable  degree  of  knowledge,  and  were  able  to  fpeak 
with  fulnefs  and  propriety,  on  religious  fubjedls,  gave 
themfelves  up  to  a  litigious  and  wrangling  difpofition, 
which  was  foon  followed  by  a  barren,  and  fometimcs  an 
offenfive  pradVice.  The  fame  thing  alfo  frequently  leads 
to  innumerable  little  parties  and  fadlions,  into  which 
Chriftians,  I  mean  real  Chriflians,  are  divided,  which 
very  much  hinder  their  own  profit,  and  grieve  the  hearts 
of  thole  who  are  one  with  them  in  Chrifl:.  Therefore  let 
it  be  your  care  to  apply  the  truths  of  the  gofpcl  for  your 
own  iandlification  and  comfort.  After  you  have  believed 
them,  be  ilill  more  careful  to  live  upon  them,  than  even 
to  defend  them.  Divifions  fhould  never  be  made  without 
abfolute  neceflity ;  and  when  they  are  made,  they  fliould 
be  as  foon  as  poffible  forgotten,  that  having  efcaped  fin 
we  may  apply  ourfelves  to  duty  ;  for  controverfy,  be  the 
fubjedl  what  it  will,  I  think,  is  not  very  favorable  to  the 
power  of  godlinefs. 

2.  Defire  a  faithful  minifler,  do  your  utmofl:  to  obtain 
him ;  and  then  let  it  be  your  habitual  iludy  to  profit  by 
him.  You  have  reafon  to  be  very  thankful  that  your  fitu- 
ation,  in  providence,  is  fuch  as  you  may  expe<^  a  minif- 
ter  who  is  a  hearty  friend  to  the  gofpel,  and,  at  the  fame 
time,  one  who  is  agreeable  to  your  own  choice.  Let  me 
exhort  you,  as  far  as  you  are  confulted  in  that  matter,  to 
make  the  choice  with  much  calmnefs  and  prudence ;  to 
look  for  one,  not  only  found  in  his  principles,  but  of  tho- 
rough knowledge  and  capacity,  always  preferring  folid 
before  fpecious  parts.  After  having  made  the  choice,  en- 
deavor to  ftrengthen  his  hands,  and  encourage  his  heart, 
in  the  Lord,  by  a  careful  attendance  on  his  miniilry,  and 
by  a  dutiful  fubn\iilion  to  infiruftion  and  reproof.  You 
ought  not  to  wilh  for  one  who  will  flatter  you,  nor  ought 
you  to  lay  fuch  a  temptation  in  a  miniller's  way,  as  to 
Hiew  that  you  are  pleaicd  with  being  flattered.     The  bell 

Vol.  IL  2  M 


i7^  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

teillmony  that  you  can  give  to  a  minifler  is,  to  learn  from 
him,  and  to  obey  him.  This  is  infinitely  better  than  noi- 
fy  praiie  and  admiration,  according  to  the  excellent  re- 
mark of  bifliop  Burnet,  '  That  it  is  not  the  bell  fermon 
'  thafe makes  the  hearers  go  away  talking  to  one  another, 
'  and  praiiing  the  fpeaker ;  but  that  which  makes  them 
'  go  away  thoughtful,  and  ferious,  and  hallening  to  be  alone.' 
Has  a  miniiler  any  evidently  profane  perfons  among  his 
hearers  ;  if  he  cannot  preach  them  from  fin  to  God,  it 
were  much  more  for  his  credit  to  preach  fo  as  that  they 
are  not  able  to  hear  him,  but  flee  away  for  eafe  to  their 
confcience,  than  to  have  them  continue  in  wickednefs, 
and  yet  praife  him  every  day,  for  an  admirable  fpeaker, 
or  an  able  man. 

If  3^ou  would  truly  profit  by  ordinances,  after  you  have 
a  fixed  pallor,  I  think  it  is  of  moment  to  forget,  as  much 
as  poflible,  the  perfons  of  men,  and  confider  them  as  no 
more  than  inflruments  in  the  hand  of  God,  for  your  daily 
inflrudlion  and  comfort.  The  more  you  remember  the 
appointment  of  God,  and  wait  upon  his  ordinances,  in  the 
faith  of  his  prefence,  and  the  expectation  of  his  bleffing, 
the  more  you  are  likely  to  receive  both  fenfible  and  ialling 
benefit.  I  mufl  therefore  take  the  liberty  to  obferve,  thtit 
we  have  amongft  us  a  fet  of  wandering  unfettled  hearers, 
T«'ho  run  about  from  one  congregation  to  another,  and 
even  from  one  profelfion  to  another,  and  are  fcarcely  ever 
to  be  feen  a  whole  day  in  one  place.  If  they  be  but  deli- 
berating where  to  fix,  we  may  fay  of  them,  that  they  are 
ever  learning,  and  never  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  But  the  probability  is,  that  they  have  itching  and 
curious  ears,  and  go  about  not  to  ferve  God,  but  to  hear 
rnen.  If  I  am  able,  at  all,  to  judge,  either  by  refledlion 
or  obfervation,  thofe  are  moft  likely  to  profit,  who,  having 
deliberately  made  their  choice,  fit  habitually  and  regularly 
under  one  miniiler.  By  thefe  means  they  enter  into  his 
views ;  and  as  he  will  naturally  endeavor,  if  any  thing 
ivas  wanting  at  one  time,  to  complete  his  fcheme  by  fup- 
plying  it  at  another,  they  Vv'ill  thereby  have  a  more  com- 
prehenfive  view  of  the  v/hole  counfel  of  God.  At  the  fame 
time,  not  having  the  charm  ef  novelty  to  ehchant  them. 


the  whole  Counsel  of  God. 


279 


they  will  have  nothhig  to  do  but  to  reap  hiflruQion.  On 
the  other  hand,  by  hearing  feparate,  detached,  and  inde- 
pendent difcourfes,  men  may  plcafc  their  fany  more,  but 
they  will  improve  their  underdanding  lefs.  It  in  alfo 
plain,  that  as  every  minifter  will  endeavor,  not  only  to 
follow  an  order  in  his  difcourfes  on  one  fubjetl,  but  to 
have  a  refpedl  to  the  connexion,  and  relation  of  the  fiib- 
jecls  ihemfelves,  the  more  accurate  and  exadl  he  is,  in 
fuiting  one  part  to  the  illuflration  of  another,  the  lefs  he 
will  be  underflood  by  thefe  dcfultory  hearers,  who  take 
only  a  fingle  branch,  without  being  able  to  perceive  its 
fubferviency  to  the  general  defign.  I  iiave  many  times 
known  exceptions  taken  at  miniflers,  for  fome  parts  of 
a  difcourfe,  by  fuch  perfons,  when,  if  they  had  heard  the 
whole  upon  the  fame  or  correfponding  fubjcfcs,  they  would 
have  perceived  there  was  no  place  for  their  objections. 
The  great  purpofc,  my  brethren,  of  a  ferious  and  judici- 
ous people,  in  attending  on  ordinances,  ihould  neither 
be  to  pleafe  themfelves,  nor  to  criticife  their  teachers  ;  but 
to  hear  the  word  of  God,  that  they  may  do  it.  On  this 
account  it  is,  that  humble  and  regular  Chriilians  are  get- 
ting real  advantage  to  their  fouls,  while  fome  are  only 
watching  the  opinions,  or  others  only  pafllng  judgment 
on  the  ability,  perhaps  no  more  than  the  Ihle,  and  put- 
ward  manner  of  the  fpcaker. 

3.  I  mufi:  give  you  another  advice,  as  a  profelTing  peo- 
ple, to  guard  againfl  the  introduQion  of  a  worldly  Ipirit. 
I  have  often  obferved  to  you,  that  every  fituation  a  pcriba 
or  people  can  be  in  has  its  peculiar  temptations,  as  v.el| 
as  trials.  This  place,  engaged  in  comnierce  and  tr^f- 
fick,  growing  in  numbers,  and  I  fuppofe  growing  in 
wealth,  is  in  great  danger  of  a  worldly  fpirit,  and  of  im- 
porting, if  I  may  fpeak  h,  falhionable  vices,  inttcad  of 
real  improvements.  AV^hile  I  fay  this,  I  would  not  be  un- 
derllood  as  being  againft  a  liberal  education,  and  elegant 
manner  of  life,  or  any  thing  that  is  truly  becoming  in  an 
advanced  rank.  There  is  no  more  religion  in  being  Ibr- 
did,  than  in  being  fumptuous.  But  I  think  the  fpirit  of 
the,gofpel  is  fuch,  that  it  will  difpofe  a  truly  pious  pcribn 
to  be  rather  late  than  e.irly  in  adopting  new   ornaments  j 


a8o 


Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 


rather  fparing  than  exceffive  in  drefs,  furniture  and  equi- 
page ;  and  careful  not  to  be  conformed  to  that  vanity  of 
the  world  which  we  renounced  at  baptifm.  Let  men  de- 
fend one  praftice  after  another,  as  they  pleafe,  I  Ihall  al- 
ways expedl  to  fee  fomething  which  a  carelefs  worldly 
perfon  will  do,  but  which  a  good  man  will  not  do. 

However,  not  to  keep  intirely  in  generals,  I  muft  once 
more  give  my  public  tellimony  againft  what  was  lately  at- 
tempted to  be  brought  in  here,  equally  contrary  to  the  law 
of  the  land,  and  the  precepts  of  the  gofpel,  the  pernicious 
entertainments  of  the  ftage.  The  beft  and  wifell  men  in 
all  ages  have  borne  wdtnefs  againft  them,  as  the  great  means 
of  corrupting  the  morals  of  a  people  ;  and  I  am  certain, 
they  muft  be  of  all  others  moft  hurtful  to  the  inhabitants 
of  this  place,  the  far  greateft  part  of  whom  live  by  daily  la- 
bor. I  look  upon  it  as  the  indifpenfible  duty  both  of  ma- 
giftrates  and  minifters,  to  do  all  in  their  power,  to  prevent 
the  introduction  of  what  may  betray  the  young  and  un- 
fufpicious  into  the  deftruClive  paths  of  vice,  or  the  lower 
clafs  of  mankind  into  an  idle  and  difolute  life.  Much 
good  of  this  kind  may  be  done  in  matters  of  outward  or- 
der, by  a  firm  and  refolute  behaviour  in  thofe  who  are  in 
place  and  authority.  I  muft  alfo  here  take  particular  no- 
tice of  the  duty  of  fabbath  fanclification.  I  do  hereby 
warn  you  againft  that  molt  pernicious  refinement  of  gad- 
ding abroad,  paying  private  vifits,  wpon  the  Lord's  day. 
"Whoever  knows  any  thing  of  the  obligation  of  family  go- 
vernment and  inftruction,  muft  be  fenfible  that  to  receive 
promifcuous  company  on  that  day,  is  to  render  it  utterly 
impracticable.  Befides,  the  vain  and  unprofitable,  and 
fometimes  finful  converlation,  that  prevails  in  fuch  cafes, 
iTiuft  greatly  weaken,  or  entirely  obliterate  any  ferious  im- 
preffions,  made  upon  your  mind,  daring  the  fervice  of  the 
lanftuary.  Chrillians,  is  not  the  reft  of  the  fabbath,  from 
worldly  cares  and  purfuits,  a  confolation  to  your  own 
louls,  as  well  as  a  happy  opportunity  of  doing  fervice  to 
the  fouls  of  others  ?  Why  then  will  you  fuffer  yourfelves 
to  be  robbed  of  it,  by  the  impertinent  intrufions  of  idle  or 
ill  difpofed  perfons  ?  Let  your  houfes  be  facred  on  that  day, 
as  well  as  your  churches ;  and  endeavor  to  prepare  your 


the  luhole  Coumcl  of  God.  aSi 

minds,  and  thofe  others  members  of  your  families,  for  an 
eternal  fabbath  in  the  world  to  come.  This  leads  me,  in 
the 

4th  Place,  To  exhort  you  to  be  careful  and  confcien- 
tious  in  family  r^overnment,  and  inllru6\ion.  How  inex- 
cufable  are  thofc  parents  and  mailers,  who  fufier  tiieir 
children  and  fervants  to  perifh  for  lack  of  knowledge  ? 
What  unfpeakable  advantages  do  you  enjoy,  having  all 
the  force  of  natural  affeftion,  as  well  as  natural  authority, 
to  give  your  inllruftions  weight  ?  How  many  have  re- 
membered, with  pious  gratitude,  through  a  wliolc  lile,  the 
benefit  they  have  received  from  family  inllru6lion  and 
example  ?  I  know  I  fpeak  to  many  who  are  accountable 
to  God  for  this  mercy ;  how  fliall  you  anfwer  it  then,  if 
you  do  not  give  the  fame  advantage  to  your  own  families  ? 
And  how  fliall  they  anfwer  to  God,  think  you,  who  have 
banifhed  the  worlhip  of  God  from  the  families  in  which 
they  found  it  ?  One  would  think,  the  lifelefs  walls  and 
furniture  of  your  chambers  might  be  awakening  monitors. 
There  is  the  greateft  mutual  influence  between  family  and 
perfonal  religion.  Perfonal  religion  is  the  foundation  of 
all  family  and  relative  duties.  It  would  be  fpcaking  to 
the  deaf  to  perfuade  any  to  watch  over  the  fouls  of  others, 
who  have  no  concern  for  their  own.  But  w  here-ever 
there  is  a  deep  ImprefFion  of  the  Importance  of  eternity  for 
ourfelves,  this  will  naturally  and  neceirurlly  fet  before  ls 
its  importance  with  refpedl  to  all  that  are  dear  to  us.  On 
the  other  hand,  for  the  fame  reafon,  family  religion  is  one 
of  the  befl  and  fureft  evidences  of  the  reality  and  the 
llrength  of  perfonal  religion.  It  is  fometimes  obferved, 
that  fome  very  pious  pcrfons  are  extremely  defeftlve  in 
this  particular,  and  take  little  care  of  the  infi:ru£tion,  and 
Hill  lefs  of  the  goverr.ment,  of  their  children.  If  they  are 
truly  pious,  it  is  a  very  great  blemifli  upon  their  piety. 
However,  for  my  own  part,  I  confefs  I  do  very  mucii  fuf- 
pedt  the  fmcerity  of  religion,  in  thofe  who  are  remarkably 
negligent  in  this  particular,  let  them  profels  as  much  as 
they  will.  I  know  that  pious  perfons,  from  the  weaknefs 
of  their  judgment,  will  be  guilty  of  great  imprudence  In 
the  manner  of  family  inllru<!;lion,  and  from  an  abfolute 


23a  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring 

incapacity,  may  not  be  able  to  preferve  their  authority ; 
but  I  cannot  eafily  reconcile  with  true  piety,  the  abfolute 
negle6l  of  either  the  one  or  the  other. 

1  mufl  add,  that  I  take  family  religion,  and  the  care- 
ful difcharge  of  relative  duties,  to  be  an  excellent  mean 
of  the  growth  of  religion  in  a  man's  own  foul.  How  can 
any  perfon  bend  his  knees  in  prayer  every  day  with  his  fa- 
mily, but  it  muft  be  a  powerful  reRraint  upon  him  from 
the  indulgence  of  any  fm  which  is  vifible  to  them  ?  Will 
fuch  a  perfon,  think  you,  dare  to  indulge  himfelf  in  anger, 
or  chufe  to  be  feen  by  them,  v;hen  he  comes  home  ftag- 
gcring  with  drunkennefs,  unlit  to  perform  any  duty,  or 
ready  to  fm  Hill  more  by  the  manner  of  performance  ? 
When  I  figure  to  myfelf  a  mafter  of  a  family,  who  had 
come  home  fotted  like  a  beaft,  and  half-fupported  to  his 
houfe,  rifmg  in  the  morning,  I  am  not  able  to  conceive 
how  he  can  bear  the  looks  ofthofe  members  of  his  family 
who  had  been  witneiTes  of  his  fliame.  But  befides  being 
a  reftraint  from  grofs  crimes,  I  cannot  help  faying,  that, 
fpeaking  of  the  things  of  God,  with  the  concern  of  a  pa- 
rent, or  the  humanity  of  a  mailer,  muft  give  a  folemnlty 
of  fpirit,  and  a  fenfe  of  their  moment,  even  greater  than 
before.  A  man  cannot  fpeak  to  purpofe,  without  feeling 
what  he  fays  ;  and  the  new  imprelTion  will  certainly  leave 
behind  it  a  lading  efFe6l.  Let  me,  therefore,  my  beloved 
hearers,  earneflly  recommend  to  you  the  faithful  dif- 
charge and  careful  management  of  family  duties,  as  you 
regard  the  glory  of  God,  the  interefl  of  his  church,  the  ad- 
vantage of  your  poflerity,  and  your  own  fmal  acceptance 
in  the  day  of  judgment. 

5.  Let  religion  be  incorporated  with  your  lawful  em- 
ployments, and  improved  by  an  attention  to  the  whole 
courfe  of  Providence  to  you  and  yours.  Nothing  is  more 
hurtful  to  religion,  than  to  confine  it  to  particular  times 
and  places  :  I  fliould  have  rather  faid,  there  is  not  a  great- 
er miftake  in  religion,  than  to  imagine  that  it  can  be  fo 
confined.  True  religion  will  fliew  its  influence  in  every 
part  of  your  condudl.  It  is  like  the  fap  of  a  living  tree, 
whicA  penetrates  to  the  moft  diftant  boughs.  In  your  or- 
dinary calling,  fee  that  you  undertake  nothing  but  v/hat 


the  i}jholc  Coimsel  of  God.  28* 

IS  lawful  ill  its  end,  and  endeavor  to  accompllfli  nothing 
by  any  but  by  lawful  means,  tliat  you  may  have  always 
the  comfort  of  a  confcience  void  of  offence.  Nay,  you 
Ihould  even  do  more ;  you  fhould  endeavor  to  ad  fo  fin- 
gle  and  fmcere  a  part,  as  to  be  beyond  the  imputation  of 
fraud,  that  all  v.ho  know  you  may  ]5ut  the  moll  unbound- 
ed confidence  in  your  integrity.  There  are  many  other 
calumnies  which  we  may  naturally  expert  fi-om  a  malici- 
ous world ;  and  it  ought  to  trouble  us  veiy  little  to  hear 
them  :  but  it  mull  be  extremely  dillreffmg  to  a  good  man 
to  be  but  fufpedled  of  diflionefly.  Oh,  my  brethren! 
how  often  hath  it  grieved  me  to  lee,  that  many  perfons, 
formerly  of  a  decent  charadler,  »hen  they  lod  their  fub- 
flance,  lofl  their  religion  with  it;  and,  indeed,  to  confider 
how  few,  when  they  were  reduceclka  their  circumllances, 
could,  fatisfy  the  public  that  they  Wfa  afted  fairly. 

Let  it  be  your  care,  I  befeech  j'ou,  to  remember,  that  it 
is  God  that  giveth  you  power  to  get  weakh ;  and  what 
thanks  are  due  to  him,  if  he  hath  given  you  abundance 
efpecially  if  he  hath  given  you  withal  a  heart  to  bellow! 
Be  diligent  in  your  bufmcfs,  from  a  principle  of  confci- 
ence ;  and  make  it  the  daily  fubjed  of  your  prayer  to 
God,  that  he  would  either  keep  }-ou  from  the  Ihame  of  po- 
verty ,  or,  at  leall,  from  the  fin  of  it.  Take  notice  of  every 
Hep  of  his  providence,  wliether  of  mercy  or  trial.  Let 
tlie  afpea  of  providence  dired  your  exercifc,  and  quicken 
your  affedions  in  religious  duties  ;  and  take  fuch  views 
of  the  fulnefs  of  an  all-fufficient  God,  in  ads  of  worfliip, 
as  may  prepare  }-ou  for  e\-ery  event  of  providence,  vvJie-* 
ther  profpcrous  or  adverfe. 

Thus,  my  bretliren,  I  have  now  finiilied  what  I  pro- 
poied,  in  the  way  of  advices;  and,  forwliat  I  have  to  fay 
with  regard  to  the  prefent  difpenfation  of  providence,  tiiat 
puts  an  end  to  my  minifiry  among  )  ou,  I  llmll  brintr  it 
within  very  narrow  bounds.  It  A\ere  fA^y,  bv  (liying  ; 
lew  words,  to  move  the  concern  both  offpcakerand  hear- 
ers :  this  I  have  hitherto chofen to  avoid;  and,  iJicrtforc 
fliall  only  fay,  t]:at  I  am  deeply  fenllble  of  ti.e  aflcClioi! 
and  duty  otthe  congregation  that  Lltcnded  my  niinijliy 
and  others  under  my  charge.     I  .i:annot  cxprei's  my  Icnii 


a 


284  Ministerial  Fidelity  in  declaring^  ^c. 

of  i!:  better,  than  in  the  words  of  the  late  eminently  pious 
Dodlor  Finlay,  my  immediate  predeceflbr  in  this  new  of- 
fice, who,  on  his  death-bed,  "faid  to  thofe  about  him,  'I 
'  owe  a  long  catalogue  of  debts  to  my  friends,   which  will 

*  not  be  put  to  my  charge  ;  but  I  hope  God  will  difcharge 

*  them  for  me.*  I  cannot  now  do  any  thing  better  for  you, 
than  again  to  befeech  you,  to  remember  and  put  in  praftice 
the  direftions  I  have  given  you,  and,  I  am  perfuaded,  that 
it  Hiall  go  well  with  you.  The  only  further  requefl:  I  have 
to  make  to  you  is,  that  you  would  give  to  me,  and  my 
family,  an  intereft  in  your  prayers.  Intreat  of  God,  that 
we  may  be  preferved  from  perils  and  dangers,  and  carri- 
ed to  the  place  of  our  deftination  in  fafety  ;  and  that  I  may 
be  affilled  of  him  in  every  future  duty,  and  not  fall  under 
the  terrible  reproach,  of  agreeing  to  makefo  diilant  a  re- 
moval, and  then  being  found  unfit  for  the  important  talk. 

. 1  conclude  with  the  words  of  the  apollle    Jude,  24, 

25.  "  Now,  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  faJl- 
"  ing,  and  to  prefent  you  faultlefs  before  the  prefence  of 
"  his  glory,  with  exceeding  joy  ;  to  the  only  wife  God, 
"  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majelly,  dominion  and  pow- 
"  er,  both  now  and  ever.     Amen. 


[  ^8s  ] 

•m  MOO  M«  KW  •"•  "^M  •'>*'  "*"  **•*  °°°'  *"  ""^  '**°  ""^  ""°  ""^  ''°°  ""'  °**  "*"  *"*•  •"•  ""^  *•"  '"■* 

vjSB  Mea  oQot  ceoa  oogs  oooo  0C40  oooa  oooa  oooe  ooeo  ooco  coco  coco  oooo  (xoo  oooo  0009  coco  cooo  moo  com  oooo  coco  mt 

MINISTERIAL  CHARACTER  and  DUTY» 

A 

S  E  R  M  O  N. 


2  Cor.  iv.   13. 
If^c  also  believe,  and  therefore  speak. 

TO  underftand  what  ought  to  be  the  chara6ler,  and 
what  prhiciples  fhould  animate  the  condu6l  of  a 
minifler  of  the  Gofpel,  cannot  be  without  profit,  even  to 
a  private  Chriftian.  It  will  teach  him  whom  to  prefer, 
wh.en  he  is  called,  in  providence,  to  make  a  choice.  It 
will  teach  him  to  hold  fuch  in  reputation  for  their  office 
flike,  and  to  improve  the  privilege  of  a  regular  gofpel  mi- 
nillry,  if  he  himfelf  is  favored  with  it.  And  I  think  it 
mud  incline  him  to  make  daily  fupplication  to  the  Lord 
of  the  harvell,  to  fend  forth  faithful  laborers  into  his  har- 
veft. 

But  though  there  were  no  fuch  general  advantage  to  be 
derived  from  it,  my  particular  cliarge,  and  the  very  afpecl 
of  this  audience,  would  eafily  juftify  me  in  making  this,  for 
once,  the  immediate  fubjedl  of  difcourfe. 

Now,  if  we  would  know  the  character  of  a  faithful  mi- 
nillcr,  we  cannot  better,  or  move  immediately  reach  our 
purpofe,  than  by  looking  into  the  character,  and  obfcrvin^ 
the  conduct,  and  fprings  of  adlion,  of  the  apoftles  of  our 
Lord,  who  received  their  commiflions  immetliately  from 

Vol.  II.  ;:  N 


2  86  Ministerial  Character  and  Duty, 

himfelf,  and  were  not  only  the  firft,  but  the  befl:  and  mof^ 
lucccfsful  IN.Iiniilers,  that  ever  were  employed  in  the 
church  of  Chrill. 

The  Apoftle  Paul,  v/hofe  call  was  fo  fmgular,  and  whofe 
labors  were  fo  dillinguiflied,  has,  in  his  epiftles  to  the 
feveral  churches,  planted  or  watered  by  him,  given  us 
a  great  light  into  the  chief  aims  he  had  in  the  exercife  of  the 
minlftry.  In  this  chapter,  and  the  preceding  part  of  this 
epiftle,  he  fnews  the  Corinthians,  with  what  vifible  faith- 
fulnefs  and  fmcerity  he  had  a6ted,  and  what  diligence  he 
had  ufed  in  promoting  their  eternal  happinefs. 

To  fave  time,  I  forbear  going  through  the  connection  of 
his  difcourfe,  and  only  obferve,  that  in  the  words  of  our 
text,  he  iliows  what  kept  him  faithful  and  influenced  him 
to  fo  much  diligence  in  the  work  to  which  he  was  called, 
by  alluding  to  an  exprelTion  in  the  ii6th  Pfalm.  It  is 
written,  /  have  hlieiied,  therefore  have  I  spoken.  IVe 
also  believe^  and  therefore  speak.  In  this  he  intimates, 
that  our  inward  perfuafion  of  the  great  truths  of  the  ever- 
lafting  Gofpel,  could  not  but  have  a  powerful  influence 
upon  him  and  others,  to  prefs  the  important  mefiage, 
and  watch  over  the  fouls  of  thofe  committed  to  their 
charge. 

In  difcourfmg  further  at  this  time,  I  intend  to  confine 
myfelf  to  this  fmgle  truth,  which  may  be  eafdy  deduced 
from  the  text :  That  one  of  the  moll:  cfTentially  neceffary, 
and  the  moft  extenfively  ufeful  qualifications  of  a  good 
miniller,  is,  that  he  be  a  good  man,  that  he  have  a  firm 
belief  of  that  Gofpel  he  is  called  to  preach,  and  a  lively 
{e^\{Q  of  religion  upon  his  own  heart.  After  I  fhall  have 
explained  and  confirmed  this  obfervation,  I  will  conclude 
with  fome  practical  reflexions. 

Though  I  have  mentioned  real  religion  as  one  of  the 
moft  eflentially  neceffary  qualifications,  I  am  not  ignorant, 
that  taking  the  words  in  a  ftri6l  fenfe,  gifts  are  more  ne- 
celTary  to  the  being  of  a  miniftry,  than  even  grace  itfelf. 
To  make  ihe  efficacy  of  the  ordinances  to  depend  upon 
the  inward  ftate  of  the  adminiftrator,  is  a  Popifli  error, 
and  is  exprefsly  guarded  againft  by  the  Affembly  of  Di- 
vines, in  our  Ihorter  Catechifm,  in  the  following  words ; 


Ministerial  Character  and  Duty.  287 

The  sacramefits,  and  it  Is  equally  true  of  eveiy  other  ordU 
nunce,  become  effectual  to  sahat'ion^  not  from  any  'virtue 
in  them^  or  in  him  that  doth  administer  them^  but  only  by 
the  blessing  of  Christy  and  the  ivorking  of  his  Spirit  in 
them^  that  by  faith  receiiic  them. 

But  fome  degree  of  capacity  is  evidently  neceflary  in 
the  moil  abfolute  ienfe.  A  man  who  is  altogether  void  of 
knowledge  and  utterance,  or  who  is  deaf  and  dumb,  may 
be  a  faint,  but  cannot  be  a  minifter.  This  concefTion, 
however,  takes  nothing  from  the  force  of  the  obfcrvation, 
that  real  religion  is  ot  the  greated  importance,  and  mofl 
abfolutely  neceflary  to  tlie  faithful  difcharge  of  a  minif- 
ter's  facrcd  truft.  That  I  may  fet  this  in  as  clear  and 
llrong  a  light  as  I  am  able,  let  me  intrcat  your  attention 
to  the  following  obfervations. 

I.  Real  religion  in  a  minifter  will  make  him  knowing, 
and  able  for  his  work.  It  is  neceflary  for  any  one  wlio 
intends  himfelf  for  the  oflice  of  the  miniflry,  by  diligent 
Itudy,  and  the  ufe  of  thofe  means,  with  which  God  in  his 
providence  hath  furnifhed  him,  to  improve  his  under- 
ilanding  and  acquire  a  flock  of  knowledge,  that  he  may 
be  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  afliiamed,  rightly  di- 
viding the  word  of  truth.  In  this  he  can  have  no  fuch 
incitement  as  concern  for  his  Mafler's  glory.  Nay,  he  * 
that  is  truly  religious,  is  taught  of  God,  the  beft  of"  mafler's, 
and  will  have  fome  of  his  mofl  profitable  leflons  from  his 
own  experience. 

Let  me  the  rather  intreat  your  attention  to  this,  that 
thofe  who  are  mofl  apt  to  difparagc  piety,  are  alfo  apt  to 
fpeak  in  terms  of  high  approbation  on  the  fubjcd:  of 
literature  and  fcience. — Obfervc,  therefore,  that  true  reli- 
gion ferves  both  to  give  a  man  that  knowledge  wiiich  is 
neceflary  to  a  minifler,  and  to  direct  and  turn  into  its  pro- 
per  channel  the  knowledge  which  he  may  otherwife  ac- 
quire. It  is  an  approved  maxim  in  every  fcience,  that 
practical  and  experimental  knowledge  far  exceeds  that 
which  is  merely  Ipeculative  ;  at  leafl,  though  the  lafl  may 
make  the  prettiefl  fliow,  the  firfl  is  by  much  to  be  prefer- 
red for  ufe.     Any  wife  man,  if  he  was  to  go  a  dangerous 


2SS  Ministerial  Character  and  Duty. 

voyage,  would  readily  prefer  as  his  pilot,  one  who  had 
much  experience,  and  had  failed  often  that  way  himfelf, 
to  one,  who  had  lludied  navigation  in  the  moft  perfedl 
manner  afhore.  So,  my  brethren,  every  man  who  re- 
gards his  foul  would  choofe  for  his  spiritual  guide,  one, 
who  appears  to  have  the  wifdom  to  fave  his  own,  and  would 
expert  by  him  to  be  beft  direded  how  to  avoid  the  rocks 
and  ffielves  in  his  pafTage,  through  this  dangerous  and  tem- 
pefluous  ocean  of  life. 

But  if  this  maxim  holds  true  in  other  fcience,   it  holds 
yet  more  flrongly  in  Religion,  v^hich  cannot  be  truly 
known  unlefs  it  be  felt.     There  is  an  infeparable  con- 
nexion between  faith  and  pra6lice,  truth  and  duty ;   and 
therefore  he  that  is  a  ftranger  to  the  one,  is  ignorant  of  the 
other.     I  am  not  infenlibie  that  a  bad  man  may  efpoufe, 
and  plead  for  a  great  part  of  the  fyflem  of  divine  truth ; 
but  as  he  cannot  cordially  embrace  it,  fo  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  he  never  truly  underftands  it.     The  Apoftlc 
Paul  declares,  that  it  is  only  by  the  Spirit  of  God  which  is 
given  to  every  real  ChriRian,  and  more  efpecially  to  every 
faithful  Minifler,  that  a  man  is  enabled  to  treat  rightly  of 
Divine  Things,  No\\)  ive  ba^ve  received,  not  the  Spirit  of 
the  worlds  but  the  Spirit  ivhich  is  of  God,  that  we  might 
know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God ;  ivhicb 
things  ive  speak,  not  in  the  words  which  mail's  wisdom 
ieacheth,  hut  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth,  comparing 
spiritual  things  with  spiritual.     But  the  natural  man  re- 
cciveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  hirn^  neither  can  he  know  them  for  they 
are  spiritually  discerned.     As  the  real  Chriflian  from  that 
character  is  beft  difpofed  to  fcek  after,  fo  he  is  by  the 
fame  means  beft  fitted  to  improve  and  apply  his  knowledge 
of  fpiritual  things.     This  Vv^ill  appear,  if  v/e  confider  what 
ought  to  be  the  great  work  of  a  minifter.     He  hath  to  do 
chiefly  with  the  hearts  and  confciences  of  his  people.    His 
bufmefs  is  to  convince  the  ungodly  ;  to  awaken  the  fecure  ; 
to  enlighten  the  ignorant ;  to  dire6l  and  ftrengthen  the 
weak  in  the  faith,  and  in  general  as  a  wife  phyfician,   to 
adminifter  the  medicine  proper  to  the  varicus  conditions 
iiad  diforders  of  his  hearers.     Nov/  it  muft,  at  lirft  iight, 


Ministerial  Character  and  Duty.  2S9 

appear,  that  he  who  is  a  flranger  to  the  power  of  godllncfs, 
and  knows  nothing  of  the  ipiritual  life  himfelf,  mull  be 
utterly  unfit  for  difcerning  how  it  thrives,  or  afiifting  and 
promoting  it  in  others.  That  man  mufi:  furely  be  moll 
powerful  in  fearching,  and  mod  Ikilful  in  guiding  the  con- 
fciences  of  others,  who  has  been  accuilon:ied  to  examine 
and  direfl  his  own. 

I  only  farther  obferve  upon  this  particular,  that  true 
religion  will  purify,  and  dirc6t  into  its  proper  channel, 
the  knowledge  he  may  otherwife  acquire.  It  is  a  great 
miftake  to  think,  found  learning  is  an  enemy  to  religion, 
and  to  fuppofe  that  an  ignorant  miniltry  is  the  beft  or  fa- 
feih  There  is  no  branch  of  human  knowledge  of  which 
a  Divine  mr.y  not  be  the  better,  or  which  a  good  man  will 
not  improve  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  others  ; 
though  fome  of  them  are  more  important  than  others  ; 
and  it  is  neceiTary  to  give  to  any  of  them,  only  fuch  pro- 
portion of  our  time,  as  is  confiilent  with  our  great  and 
principal  aim.  Now  true  Religion  is  the  great  preferva- 
tive  againfl  miftake  or  abufe  of  any  kind  on  this  fuhjcd. 
A  bad  man  is  apt  to  Iludy,  merely  to  gratify  his  own  fan- 
cy ;  and  there  is  a  falfe  luxury  and  delicacy  in  feeding  tl:e 
mind  as  well  as  the  body.  A  bad  man  is  alfo  exceeding- 
ly prone  to  intellectual  pride  and  feli^fufficiency ;  than 
which,  there  is  not  a  vice  more  dangerous  in  itfelf,  or 
more  contrary  to  the  charatler  of  a  Minifler  of  the  New 
Teftamcnt.  But  he  who  is  fanftilied  by  divine  grace, 
as  he  has  every  motive  to  diligence  in  acquiring  know- 
ledge, fo  the  fingle  purpofe  to  wdiich  he  will  wifli  to  ap- 
ply it,  is  to  ferve  God  in  the  Gofpel  of  his  Son. 

II.  Real  religion  in  a  minifter  will  make  him  happy 
and  cliearful,  ready  and  willing  to  do  his  duty.  There  is 
a  great  diilerence  between  the  promi)t,  and  fpeedy  obedi- 
ence of  a  fervant  who  loves  his  mafter  and  his  work,  and 
the  rclu£lant  labor  of  him  who  only  deceives  him,  that  he 
may  eat  of  his  bread.  A  truly  pious  man  undertakes  the 
oflice  of  the  rainiftry  from  love  to  God,  with  a  view  to 
promote  his  gloiy,  and  what  he  hath  counted  his  intereft 
in  the  world  :  viz.  the  welfare  of  tlie  fouls  of  men.  An 
unholy  Miniller  undertakes  this  employment  only  as  a 


290  Ministerial  Character  and  Duty. 

trade  to  earn  by,  and  has  it  at  leaft  as  his  highell  aim  to 
promote  his  own  worldly  advantage.  It  is  eafy  to  fee  in 
what  a  different  manner  thefe  different  perfons  will  a£t, 
and  in  what  different  light  they  will  view  the  facred  duties 
of  their  function.  He  who  truly  believes  the  Gofpel  and 
loves  its  Author,  will  reckon  it  his  highell  honor  when  he 
is  called  to  recommend  it  to  the  belief  of  others.  He  v/ill 
be  apt  to  teach,  and  will  find  a  pleafure  in  carrying  his 
nieffage  ;  befides  the  reward  he  expedls  from  him  who 
employs  him,  and  v/ill  undergo  with  chearfulnefs  every 
fatigue  he  is  fubjefiled  to,  in  the  execution  of  his  office. 
On  the  other  hand,  he  who  is  actuated  by  a  contrary  prin- 
ciple, though  he  is  obliged,  that  he  may  raife  his  wages, 
in  fome  fort  to  do  his  (Ixxty  ;  yet  how  heavily  m^ufi;  it  go 
on,  how  tedious  and  burthenfome  muft  it  be,  both  in  pre- 
paration and  performance  ?  He  v/ill  count  his  fervice  at 
the  altar,  and  his  work  among  his  people,  as  a  toil  and 
drudgery,  and  reckon  all  that  redeemed  time  that  he  can 
fave  for  himfelf,  from  the  duties  of  his  oflice. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  thought  that  there  lies  a  ftrong  ob- 
jection  againfi;  this  obfervation  from  experience  ;  as  it 
appears  that  fuch  minifters  as  have  leall  of  religion,  com- 
monly go  moft  lightly  under  the  charge,  and  are  far  from 
feeling  any  burthen  in  what  is  committed  to  them  ;  where- 
as the  moil  pious  and  faithful  minifters  feem  to  have  a 
weight  upon  their  fpirits,  and  fuch  a  concern  for  the  falva- 
tion  of  their  people,  as  cannot  but  take  much  from  their 
chearfulnefs  in  the  work  to  v/hich  they  are  called.  In  an- 
fwer  to  this,  obferve,  that  an  unfaithful  miniller  is  not  eafy 
and  chearful  becaufe  his  work  is  agreeable  to  him,  but 
becaufe  he  takes  as  little  of  it  as  may  be,  and  feeks  his 
pleafure  more  than  his  duty.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  work 
of  the  miniftry  muft  be  irkfome  and  uneafy  to  him  that 
believes  not,  except  fo  far  as  he  makes  it  fubfervient  to 
ambition,  and  difplays  his  own  talents  when  he  fhould  be 
feeding  his  people's  fouls.  This  I  confefs,  which  the 
apoftle  jullly  calls  preaching  ourfclves,  may  be  abundant- 
ly gratifying  to  the  moll  corrupt  heart.  On  the  other  hand, 
that  concern  for  his  people  which  is  upon  the  heart  of  eve- 
ry faithful  paftor,  is  far  from  being  inconfilTeat  with  the 


Ministerial  Character  and  Jbuty.  aol 

mod  folic!  peace  and  dcfireable  pleafure  arlCncv  from  the 
difcharge  of  his  duty.  It  is  like  the  exercife  of  pity  and 
coiiipallion  to  the  diib'elfed,  in  him,  who  is  a<^ing  for  ihcir 
relief,  which,  though  in  fome  fenfc  painful,  is  yet  accom- 
panied with  the  approbation  of  God,  and  confcience,  a.'; 
flowing  from  a  rightly  difpofed  mind,  and  therefore  to  be 
cheriflicd  and  cultivated  raUier  dian  fupprelfed.  There 
is  a  time  for  every  good  man  to  mourn,  and  a  time  to  re- 
joice, and  perhaps  the  one  is  even  more  falutar}'  than  the 
other  ;  for  we  are  told,  that  God  will  appoint  unto  thern 
that  mourn  in  Zion,  to  ^^i'oe  unto  them  beauty  for  asbes^ 
the  oil  of  joy  for  mournings  and  the  garment  of  praise 
for  the  spirit  of  he  airiness. 

HI.  Real  1-cligion  in  a  minifter  will  make  him  fliith- 
ful,  and  impartial,  in  the  difcharge  of  his  truft.  The  God 
in  whofe  prefence  we  Hand,  and  in  whofe  name  we  fpeak, 
is  no  refpeftcr  of  pcrfons,  and  neither  fliould  we  be  in 
doing  his  work.  There  is  commonly  a  great  variety  of 
perfons,  of  different  flations  and  of  different  chara(5lers, 
committed  to  the  infpeclion  of  a  minifler ;  the  pleafmo-  or 
difpleafmg  of  whom,  has  a  confiderable  intluence  in  his 
worldly  eafe  and  intereR.  This  is  a  great  temptation  to 
be  unfaithful,  and  often  leads  to  fpeak  unto  them  smooth 
things,  :sx\({  prophesy  deceit ;  or  at  lead,  not  to  deal  widi 
all  that  freedom  and  impartiality,  that  his  duty  to  God  re- 
quires. In  every  unregenerate  man,  worldly  intered:  in 
one  fhape  or  another,  either  vanity  or  gain,  is  ihe  fupreme 
motive  of  aftion  :  and  therefore,  as  mod  men  are  impa- 
tient of  reproof,  it  cannot  be  fuppofed,  that  an  unfandVi- 
fied  minifler  will  venture  to  provoke  their  difpleafurc,  or 
to  gall  them  with  unacceptable  truths.  The  favor  of  the 
great,  orthe  applaufe  ofthe  multitude,  he  certainly  will 
feek,  more  than  the  edification  of  any.  On  the  other 
hand,  he  who  truly  fears  God  and  believes  what  he  teaches, 
will  a6l  with  faithfulnefs  and  boldnefs.  He  will  remem- 
ber that  if  he  feeks  to  pleafe  men,  he  cannot  be  the  fcrvar^t 
of  Chrid.  He  will  therefore  no  farther  obtain,  and  indeed 
r.o  farther  widi  to  obtain  their  favor,  than  as  a  diligent 
difcharge  of  his  duty  approves  him  to  their  confcienccs  in 
t-hc  fi^htofGod;  or  forces  the  approbation  ofthe   impar- 


2gz  Minis  Serial  Character  and  Duty, 

tial,  notwithftancUng  the  refentment  of  particular  ofFend^ 
ers.  It  is  only  the  fear  of  God,  can  deliver  us  from  the 
fear  of  man.  I  do  not  pretend  that  all  who  fear  God,  are 
wholly  delivered  from  it :  but  furely,  bad  men,  muil  be 
far  more  under  the  government  of  this  fmful  principle. 
The  one  may  fail  occafionally,  the  other  is  corrupted 
wholly.  There  are  two  reafons  which  incline  me  parti- 
cularly to  infift  on  that  faithfulnefs,  which  can  only  flow 
from  true  piety. 

1.  That  preaching,  in  order  to  be  ufeful,  mufl:  be  very 
particular,  and  clofe,  in  the  application.  General  truths 
and  abilraft  reafoning  have  little  or  no  influence  upon  the 
hearers,  as  the  ignorant  cannot,  and  the  wife  will  not 
apply  them  to  themfelves. 

2.  The  other  reafon  is,  that  private  admonition,  and 
perfonal  reproof,  are  a  great  part  of  a  minifler's  duty,  and 
a  duty  that  cannot  be  performed  by  any  man,  who  hath 
not  a  ileady  regard  to  the  prefence  and  command  of  that 
God,  who  hath  fet  him  to  watch  for  the  fouls  of  his  people, 
as  one  that  mud  give  an  account. 

IV.  Real  religion  in  a  minifter,  will  make  him  a£llvc, 
and  laborious  in  his  work.  Diligence  is  abfolutely  necef- 
fary,  to  the  right  difcharge  of  the  paftoral  duties,  whe- 
tlier  public  or  private.  It  requires  no  fmall  attention  and 
labor,  to  feek  out  fit  and  acceptable  words,  as  the  preach- 
er exprefles  it,  to  lUr  up  the  attention  of  the  inconfiderate, 
to  awaken  fecure,  and  convince  obflinate  fmners,  to  un- 
mafl<:  the  covered  hearts  of  hypocrites,  to  fet  right  the  er- 
ring, and  encourage  the  fearful.  An  unbelieving  minif- 
ter,  muft  be  carelefs  and  flothful.  As  he  is  unooncerned 
about  the  fuccefs  of  his  work;  he  cannot  have  any  great 
concern  about  the  manner  of  performance.  But  he,  who 
believes  the  unfpeakable  importance  of  what  he  is  employ- 
ed about,  both  to  himfelf,  and  to  his  people,  cannot  fail 
to  be  diligent.  He  knows  that  he  himfelf  mufl  anfwer  to 
God,  for  the  care  he  has  taken  of  the  fouls  committed  to 
his  charge  ;  and  that  if  he  does  not  faithfully  uarn  the 
wicked  to  turn  from  their  ways,  their  blood  will  be  requi- 
red at  his  hand. 


M'mlstcr'ial  Character  and  Duty.  ji)^ 

(^Ii !  my  brethren,  what  a  ftriking  conficlcration  is  tliis, 
to  fuppole  ourfelves  intcrro,':;ated  by  the  Supreme  Judge, 
concerning  every  linner  under  our  charge  ?  Did  you  ear- 
neftly  warn  this  unhappy  foul,  by  earneil:  exhortations  in 
public,  and  by  ferious  afFedlionate  cxpoflulations  in  pri- 
vate, to  conlidcr  his  v/ays  ?  It  is  an  ealy  thing,  by  a  par- 
tial, or  curfory  performance  of  our  dury,  to  fcrcen  our- 
felves from  the  cenfurc  of  our  fellovz-men  ;  but  to  {land 
at  tlie  judgment  feat  of  Chrill,  and  an fwcr  there  for  our 
diligence,  is  a  more  awful  trial. 

Will  not  alfo  a  concern  for  his  people's  intercfl:,  ani- 
mate a  pious  miniftcr  to  diligence  ?  If  he  is  truly  pious, 
as  he  loves  God,  he  loves  his  brother  alfo.  The  Apofilci 
Paul  fays,  Knoivbig  tbeniforc  the  terror  of  the  Lcrd^  ive 
persuade  men.  If  a  man  in  good  earnefl:,  believes,  that 
everlafling  mifery  mull  be  the  portion  of  all  who  die  in  aa 
unrenewed  flate  ;  what  pains  will  he  not  take,  to  pre- 
vent fmners  from  going  to  that  place  of  torment  ? 

One  who  could  fee  a  fellat\v-creature,  in  the  rage  of  a 
fever,  rufliing  to  the  brink  of  a  precipice,  and  not  renr.iiii 
him,  would  fall  under  lading  infamy.  Miifl  not  the  fame 
compafiion  move  the  heart  of  a  ferious  perfon,  wlio  fees 
his  fellow-finners,  going  blindfold  to  the  pit  of  perditi- 
on ? 

It  is  their  not  believing  thefe  things,  that  makes  them 
fo  fearlefs  in  finning ;  if  you  truly  believe  them,  will  you 
not  make  an  effort  to  alarm  them  ?  There  are  no  mo- 
lives  like  thefe  to  diligence — he  that  believes,  will  certain- 
ly ipeak. 

V.  In  the  lafl:  place,  real  religion,  will  make  a  mini  (let 
fuccefsful  in  his  work.  This  it  does,  both  as  it  fits  him 
fordoing  his  duty  to  his  people,  v/hich  has  been  illuftra- 
tfd  above,  and  as  it  adds  to  his  precepts,  the  force  of  his 
f\\imf.L\  Fird,  it  makes  him  fucctlsful  as  it  lits  hin\  for 
his  duty.  It  is  true  indeed,  that  God  only  can  give  the 
blelling  upon  a  minillcr's  labors,  and  that  he  can  fave  by 
niany,  or  by  few,  by  the  we.;kcll,  as  well  as  by  the  ablelt 
indrument :  yet  we  fee  from  experience,  that  in  all  or* 
dinary  cafes,  he  proportions  the  fuccefs,  to  the  proprietj^^ 

Vol.  II,  2  O 


2C)4-  j\Tinisterii'.l  Character  and  Duty. 

or  fufliciency  of  th?  iiieans.  ];\elther  is  there  any  furer 
mark,  that  God  intends  eu-eclual  benefit  to  any  part  of  the 
world,  or  the  church,  than  when  he  raifes,  and  commif- 
lions  men,  eminently  qualified,  to  plead  liis  caufe.  There- 
fore, real  piety,  even  in  this  refpeft,  contributes  to  a  mi- 
niller's  fuccefs.  If  diligence  in  all  other  things  produces 
fuccefs,  it  muft  be  fo  alfo  in  the  minifhy.  If  he  that  lays 
out  his  ground  with  the  greateft  judofment,  prepares  and 
drefles  it  v/ith  the  greatell  care,  has  the  moft  plentiful 
crop  :  if  the  fhepherd  that  waits  moft  diligentiy  upon  his 
flock,  feeds  them  in  the  beil  pallure,  and  leads  them  to 
the  fafcft  flielter,  has  the  moll  increafe  ;  then  that  minif- 
ter,  who  does  his  duty  moft  wifely,  and  moft  powerfully, 
will  alfo  fee  moft  of  the  fruit  of  his  labors. 

But  real,  and  unaftefted,  yet  vifible  ferioufnefs,  h.as  alfo 
Its  own  proper  additional  influence  on  a  miniftcr's  fuccefs. 
An  apparent  and  vifible  imprelTion  upon  the  fpeaker's 
mind,  of  what  he  fays,  gives  it  an  inexpreffible  weight 
v/itli  the  hearers.  There  is  a'piercing  heat,  a  penetrating 
force,  in  that  which  flows  from  the  heart,  which  diftin- 
guifhes  it  not  only  froin  the  coldnefs  of  indifference,  but 
alfo,  from  the  falfe  fire  of  enthufiafm  or  vain  glory.  Be- 
fides  all  this,  the  example  of  a  pious  minifter,  is  a  con- 
ftant  inftruftion  to  his  people.  It  ratifies  his  do6lrine, 
while  he  not  only  charges  them  to  do  what  he  fays,  but  to 
be  what  he  is.  This  will  receive  much  iiluftration  from 
its  contrary^ 

A  minifter  v/ho  has  a  carelefs,  untender  walk,  defeats, 
by  his  life,  the  intent  of  his  preaching.  Though  in  rea- 
fon,  it  cannot  juftity  any  one  in  difobeying  wholefome  in- 
ftruCLions  ;  that  the  inftru6lor  defpifes  them  himfelf ;  yet 
it  is  one  of  tlie  moft  common  excufes  m.en  m.ake  for 
tliemfelves,  and  few  excufes  feem  to  fet  their  confciences 
more  at  eafe.  Loofe  and  carelefs  perfons,  think  them- 
felves  quite  at  liberty  to  defpife  the  reproofs  of  their  paf- 
tor,  if,  wiiile  he  teaches  others,  he  teaches  not  himfelf. 

Nay,  not  only  is  it  thus  with  the  profane,  but  even 
thofe  v/ho  have  the  greateft  regard  lor  religion,  are  not  fo 
much  aftecled  with  the  fame  truths,  when  fppken  by  one 
they  think  indifferent  about  them,  as  when  fpoken  bf 


Ministerial  Character  and  Duty.  20  c 

one,  who  fcems  to  icel  what  he  fpeaks,  and  who  lives  as 
he  teaches. 

Experience  greatly  confirms  the  whole  of  this  reafoii- 
ing — for  wherever  an  eminently  pious  miniRer  has  lived, 
and  labored  long,  there  is  commonly  to  be  found  tlie  moft 
knovv'ing,  fcrious,  fober-minded,  and  judicious  people  ; 
nay,  the  very  memory  of  fuch  a  min[iler,  is  often  long 
continued,  after  he  is  gone,  and  his  example  is  propofed 
by  hir,  hearers,  to  their  children's  children. 

From  all  thefe  confiderations,  I  conclude,  that  the  moft 
important  qualilication  of  a  good  miniller,  is,  to  be  « 
bclkmng  preacher,  and  llmt,  if  he  faves  his  own  foul,  he 
wdl  be  the  probable  mean  of  faving  them  that  hear  him. 

I  proceed  now,  to  make  fome  improvement  cf  the 
fubjccf. 

Reverend  fithers  and  brethren, 
As  v/e  would  wifn  our  people  to  do,  let  us  take  h^ed 
how  we  hear,  and  make  a  flilihful  application  to  ourfcives, 
of  what  hath  been  faid  upon  the  fubject.     Let  it  en^a-e  us 
to  a  ferious  examination  of  ourfelves,  left  v^^hile  we^'preach 
the  gofpel  to  others,  we  oui-felves  ihould  be  reprobates 
This  ought  to  be  the  fubjea  of  our  Irequent  and  ferious 
tiioughts,  lor  feveral  reafons.    We  are  in  dan^-er  of  th-nk 
mg  ourfelves  too  eafily  fafe,  by  comparing  tliat  outward 
regularity,  to  which  our  office  itlclf,  even  from  fecular 
motives,  obliges  us,  with  the  licentious  extrava-ai^ce  of 
prorane  finners.     We  are  in  danger  of  miftaking  our  fre- 
quent  thinking  and  fpeaking  of  the  things  of  God,  in  the 
way  of  our  calling,  for  an  evidence  of  true'religion,  in  our- 
Icjvcs.     We  may  alfo,   perhaps,  millake  thofe  gifts  witli 
winch  God  hath  furniflied  us,  for  the  benefit  of  his  own 
people,  as  the  fruits  of  the  fpirit,  and  of  gracious  difpofi- 
tions  m  our  hearts.     A  miniflcr,  is  as  much  liable  to  k\^. 
deceit  as  others,  and  in  fome  refpeds,  more  fo.   We  have 
therefore  much  need,   of  en   to   make   trial  of  our  ilate, 
as  v/ell  as  to  give  all  diligence,  to  make  our  cairm<r  and 
ejection  fure.  ° 

But  let  us  beware  of  Imagining,  that;  this  difcourfe  is 
oiily  applicable  to  fuch,  as  have  no  real  failh  In  Chrlft. 
God  forbid!  that  there  were  any  miniiler  amon-  us    a. 


296  Ministerial  Character  and  Duty. 

complete  unbeliever,  counting  the  Gofpel  a  fable.  But 
faith,  and  cvtry  other  gracious  difpofition  grafted  upon  it, 
are  capable  of  many  degrees  of  improvement  and  ftrength  ; 
and  in  proportion  to  the  flrength  of  our  faith,  and  the  im- 
preffion  we  have  of  divine  things,  will  be  our  diligence, 
and  confequently  our  fuccefs,  in  the  work  of  the  minidry. 
Let  us  therefore  imprefs  our  minds,  with  a  more  and  more 
lively  fenfe,  of  the  important  truths  which  we  teach  and 
heir.  Let  us  not  frarvc  ourfelves,  wliile  we  are  feeding 
others  :  but  ftudy  to  arrive  at  a  greater  degree  of  love  to 
God,  and  delight  in  him  ;  a  greater  conformity  to  his  blef- 
fed  image,  in  purity  of  heart,  and  integrity  of  life.  Let 
us  in  a  fpecial  manner,  lludy  to  attain  to  more  and  more 
intimate  communion  wilh  God  in  fecret,  which  is  the  {]g\\ 
of  our  dependance  upon  him,  and  the  very  exercife  of 
love  to  him,  which  is  the  mean  of  conflancy,  and  the 
fource  ol  joy  in  religion. 

Above  all,  let  us  fet  our  affections  upon  the  things  that 
are  above,  where  our  Redeemer  fits,  at  his  Father's  right 
hand.  As  our  profeffion  is  to  be  pilgi'im.s,  and  ftrangers 
in  the  earth,  to  live  by  faith,  and  not  by  fight ;  let  us  Hudy 
to  raife  our  hopes  of,  and  defire  after,  the  heavenly  inhe- 
ritance. By  this,  we  fliall  not  only  believe,  but  know, 
and  feel  the  value  of  true  religion,  which  cannot  fail  to 
make  us  diligent  in  feeking  the  good  of  others. 

Oh  !  my  brethren,  what  reafon  have  we  to  be  inward- 
ly afhamed  at  the  weaknefs  of  our  faith,  and  the  coldnefs 
of  our  love,  as  they  fliow  themfelves,  by  our  indifference 
in  tlie  duties  of  our  ofHce  ?  "We  are  often  ready,  both  to 
complain,  and  "wonder  that  our  hearers  are  fo  little  affe6l- 
ed  with  the  mofl:  awful  confiderations  :  that  they  can  hear 
with  indifference  of  everlafting  happinefs,  and  fet  without 
fear  under  the  denunciations  of  eternal  wrath  :  that  we 
cannot  perfuade  them,  it  is  of  importance  to  think  v/hat 
jliall  become  of  them  forever.  But  is  it  not  alfo  to  be 
wondered  at,  that  we  ourfelves  can  often  fpeak  of  thefe 
things  with  fo  little  emotion  ?  Can  ve  ever  be  ffuiicient- 
"iij  affefted  with  the  danger  of  our  hearers,  when  we  confi- 
der,  that  we  mufl:  either  five  them  by  convincing  and 
converting  them  nov/,  or  deliver  our  own  fouls,  by  v/it^ 


Mhiistcrial  Character  and  Duty.  297 

nefling,  juftifying,  and  perhaps  pleadlnnr  for  their  condem- 
nation at  die'lalt  day  ?  However  plain  and  fimplc  thefe 
truths  are,  of  the  final  judgment  of  minlllcrs  and  people, 
they  are  quite  unfathomable  in  their  meaning  and  impor- 
tancc  to  both.  It  is  llrange  that  we  can  think  of  them 
without  the  deeped  concern,  or  even  fpeak  of  them  witlu 
out  tears. 

Let  us  pray  that  the  Lord  would  increafe  our  faith,  that 
believing  we 'may  fpeak,  and  that  our  fpeech  niay  be  with 
fuch  efficacy,  bydie  bleffing  of  God,  as  many  fmners  may 
be  thereby  brought  to  everlafting  life ;  that  we  may  ap- 
prove ourfelves  to  him  that  lent  us  ;  and  that  when  Chrill, 
the  chief  fhcpherd  Hiall  appear,  we  may  receive  a  crown 
of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 


C   299   ] 

•oa»  MM  ««M  tM*  eoan  •one  &x«  —c*  mm  »k:»  •om  teM  •eoo  0000  •o»  eooj  0000  ^M  com  eoo*  aoeo  cooo  eooo  eooo  «e 
0000  seoo  MM  •e'^»  ooo*  moo  oooe  0000  cooo  aoo*  dqoo  doco  0000  ooo*  iooo  cooo  oo«o  coo*  c/  00  0000  0000  tooo  0000  oooa  n 

MAN    IN   HIS    NATURAL    STATE. 


SERMON. 


Rev.  iii.   17. 


Because  thou  sayest  I  am  rkh^  and  increased  ivith  goods, 
and  bave  need  of  nothmg ;  and  Imowcst  not  that  thou 
art  ivrctched,  aJid  miser  ad  le^  and  poor,  a?id  blind,  and 
naked, 

IN  order  to  preach  the  Gofpel  with  fuccefs,  it  is  necef- 
fary  that  vvc  fliould  begin,  by  efiabhfliing  the  great 
and  fundamental  truths,  on  which  all  the  reft  are  built, 
and  to  which  they  conftantly  refer.  Nay,  it  is  neceffary, 
that  we  fliould  often  look  back  to  thefe,  and  fee  that  we  be 
not  oft'  the  foundation,  or  that  it  be  not  weakly,  or  imper- 
feftly  laid.  Of  this  fort,  I  take  the  guilt,  niifery  and 
weaknefs  of  our  nature  to  be ;  and  tlicrefore  have  chofen 
the  words  now  read,  as  the  fubjeft  of  difcourfe,  in  which 
the  fpirit  of  God  reproves  the  fufticiency,  and  felf-righte- 
oufnefs  of  the  church  of  Laodiceo. 

Because  thou  sayest  I  am  rich,  and  increased  in  gocds^ 
i^£.  I  fuppofe  you  will  all  eafily  underftand,  that  the 
words  are  figurative,  and  are  fpoken  entirely,  with  a  view 
to  the  fpiritual  ftate  of  tiiat  church.  In  this  light,  let  us 
confidcr  what  is  precifely  their  meaning. 

We  may  cither  fuppofe,  that  this  charge  is  broiigljt 
ajainft  the  church  of  Laodicca,  becaufc  there  were  many 


30O  Man  in  his  Natural  State. 

there,  under  the  profeffion  of  the  Gofpel,  who  were  not^ 
withftanding,  ftill  in  a  natural  and  unrenewed  flate—- 
flrangers  to  the  power  of  religion  ;  of  which,  their  being 
thus  unhumbled,  and  infenfible  of  their  guilt,  and  mifery, 
was  the  evidence  ;  and  for  which,  the  remedy  is  prefcri- 
bed,  in  the  following  words  :  /  counsel  tkee  to  buy  of  mc 
gold,  tried  in  the  fire^  that  thou  mayest  be  rich^  and  nvhite 
raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed^  and  that  the  shame 
of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear ;  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
'cjith  eye  sahe^  that  thou  mayest  see. 

Or  we  may  fuppofe,  that  this  reproof  was  in  a  great 
meafure  applicable  to  them  all,  in  general ;  believers  and 
unbelievers  ;  the  bell  of  them  being  exceedingly  prone  to 
truft  in  themfelves,  that  they  were  righteous  \  inflead  of 
that  humble  dependance  on  the  merit,  and  grace  of  their 
Redeemer,  which  ought  not  only  to  be  the  refuge  of  the 
fmner,  bat  the  confidence  of  the  faint.  And  there  is  no 
quefiion,  that  this  is  a  proper  caution  to  profeffing  Chrif- 
tians  in  every  age,  to  beware  of  fplitling  on  the  rock  of 
felf-fufficiency. 

But  as  this  difpofition  reigns  in  the  heart  of  every  one, 
that  is  yet  at  a  dillance  from  God — is  the  foundation  of 
their  fecurity  and  impenitence,  and  is  what  they  m.ufl:  be 
brought  off  from,  before  they  can  be  reconciled  to  God  ; 
it  is  for  their  benefit,  that  I  chiefly  defign  this  difcourfe, 
though  it  may  alfo  be  ufeful,  and  fliall  be  in  part  applied 
to  the  children  of  God.  It  is  an  afFedting  thought,  when 
puriiied  to  its  confequences ;  yet  alas  !  it  is  unquefliona- 
bly  true,  that  in  every  aflembly,  such  as  this,  of  profelTmg 
Chriftians,  there  are  not  a  few,  who  are  in  the  gall  of  bit- 
terness, end  in  the  bond  of  iniquity,  under  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  liable  to  the  condemning  fentencs  of  his  law  ; 
and  at  the  fame  time,  that  the  far  greateft  part  of  tliem 
are  ignorant  of  it,  and  know  not,  that  they  are  ivretched^ 
and  pcor^  and  bli?id,  a?ul  naked. 

In  difcourfuig  farther  upon  this  fubjecl,  therefore  I  Unil 

I.    Endeavor  to  Drove   and  illuflrate  this  truth :  that 
all  mankind  are  by  ni.ture  in  a  Itate  of  fui  and  miiery, 


[Man  in  bis  Natural  State.  3o^ 

under  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  liable  to  the  wrath 
of  God. 

II.  I  fball  briefly  fliew  you,  that  being  brought  to  a 
lively  fenfe,  and  genuine  convidlion  of  this,  is  the  firft, 
and  a  neceHliry  flep,  to  the  faving  knowledge  of  God,  in 
Chrill — And  in  the  last  placc^  Ihall  make  fonie  pradlical 
improvement  of  the  fubjetiit. 

I.  In  the  firfl:  place  then,  I  am  to  prove  and  illuftrate 
this  truth  ;  tliat  all  maiikind  are  by  nature  in  a  ftate  of 
fin  and  mifery,  under  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  lia- 
ble to  the  wrath  of  God.  What  is  faid  in  this  paflage  of 
the  Laodiceans,  is  univerfally  true,  of  the  poftcrity  of 
Adam.  Unlefs  an  inward  and  effential  change  has  been 
wrought  upon  them  by  the  grace  of  God ;  they  are  ivrctch- 
ed^  and  miserable^  and  poor^  and  blind,  and  naked.  It  is 
alfo  true  of  diem,  as  well  as  the  Laodiceans,  that  they 
know  it  not ;  but  vainly  prefume  themfelves  to  be  rich, 
and  increafed  with  goods,  and  to  have  need  of  nothing. 
If  thefe  two  things  are  jointly  true  of  many  of  you  my 
hearers,  there  is  nothing  in  which  you  can  have  fo  great 
a  concern  :  therefore,  let  me  earneflly  befeech  your  molt 
ferious  attention,  to  what  fhall  be  faid  :  as  the  fuccefs  of 
this  convl6lion  is  neceflary,  to  your  underllanding,  or  pro- 
fitting  by  any  other  part  of  divine  truth,  as  1  fhall  after- 
wards ll:iew  you. 

The  proof  of  the  truth  here  afTerted,  can  be  only  of  two 
kinds.  I.  From  fcripture,  which  is  the  teftimony  of 
God  declaring  it.  2.  From  the  vifible  flate  of  the  world, 
and  our  own  experience  finding  it  to  be  fo. 

I.  That  all  mankind  are  by  nature  in  a  flate  of  fin 
and  mifery,  appears  from  the  exprefs,  and  repeated  tefti- 
mony of  the  word  of  God.  And  this  teftimony  we  have, 
not  only  in  particular  paflagcs,  carryin^the  truth,  but  in 
the  ftrain  and  fpirit  of  the  whole,  and  the  leveral  dif- 
penfations  of  Divine  Providence  there  recorded,  which  are 
all  of  them,  built  upon  this  fuppofition,  and  intended  to 
remedy  this  univerfid  evil. 

Vol.  II.  2  P  ' 


302  Man  in  his  Natural  State. 

See  what  God  declares:  Gen.-vi.  5.  Jnd  Ged  saw 
that  the  wicked?iess  of  man  Toas  ^^reat  in  -the  earthy  and 
that  coery  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  §i^  hearty  was . 
only  e^il  continually.  And  again,  the  imagination  of 
inari's  heart  is  cdU.  from^  his  youth.  We  may  take  the 
pfahTiift  David's  teftinrony  of  himfelf,  as  a  fample,  of  the 
reft  of  mankind  ;  and  indeed  he  plainly  intimates,  that  it 
is  a  common  calamity'.  Who  can  understand  his  errors  ? 
Clcjme  thou  me  from  secret  faults.  Behold !  I  ivas 
shapen  in  iniquity^  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  concei've  me. 

We  may  take  alfo  the  teftimony  of  the  apoille  Paul,  in 
his  epiftle  to  the  Romans,  which  is  the  more  full  to  our 
prefent  purpofe  :  that  as  he  had  never  been  at  Rome,  he 
is  there  laying  the  foundation  of  religion  in  general,  and 
the  Chriflian  difpenfation  in  particular,  by  a  clear  and 
explicit  proof,  of  the  need  the  world  had  of  a  Saviour, 
from  its  univerfal  corruption  -and  depravity.  See  then 
wliat  he  fays — V/hat  then  ?  Are  ive  better  than  they  ?  No^ 
in  no  %vlse,for  we  ha'ue  before  proijed  both  fews  and  Ge?i- 
tiles,  that  they  are  all  under  sin.  As  it  is  ivrittefi,  there  is 
none  righteous^  no  not  one.  And  again — Now)  ive  know 
that  ivhat  things  soever  the  law  saith :  it  saith  to  them 
who  are  imder  the  law\  that  eisery  mouth  may  be  stopped., 
and  all  the  world  may. become  guilty.;  before  God. — For  all 
ha'ue  si?27ied  and  coine  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

You  may  alfo  fee  that  the  apoftle  traces  this  diforder, 
to  its  very  fource — V/herefore  as  by  one  man^  sin  entered 
into  the  worlds  and  death  by  sin :  and  so  death  passed 
upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned. 

I  Ihall  add  but  one  exprefs  fcripture  teftimony  more. — 
And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins. 

But  befides  the  particular  paflages  of  fcripture,  pofi- 
tively  declaring  this  truth,  the  whole  frame  and  contex- 
ture of  the  fcriptures,  and  all  the  difpenfations  of  Di- 
vine  Providence  recorded  in  them,  are  a  proof  of  the,  fame 
thing.  Man  is  every  where  confidered  as  in  a  fallen  and 
finful  ftate.  Every  thing  that  is  prefcribed  to  him,  and 
everything  that  is  done  for  him,  goes  upon.that  fuppofi- 
tlon.     It  is  not  one  man,  or  a  few  men,  that  are  in  fcrip- 


•         Man  in  bis  Natural  State.  30^^ 

turc  called  to  repentance,  but  all  without  exception.  Now 
repentance  is  only  the  dutj  pf  a  finner.  An  innocent 
perl'on  cannot  repent ;  he  has  nothin-:^  to  grieve  for  in  his 
licart,  or  to  Ibrfake  in  his  lite.  It  is  alfo  proper  to  obfcrve, 
that  one  of  the  Icripture  characters  of  God  is,  Merciful 
and  gracious^  slow  to  anger^  Jorgi-ving  iniquity^  tratu- 
gression^and  sin.  Now,  he  could  not  be  to  us  a  iorgiving 
GDd,  and  there  would  be,  no  need  that  he  fliould  be  re- 
vealed under  that  charadler,  unlel's  we  were  ilnners,  tliat 
ftood  in  need  of  ^pardon.  Mercy,  indeed,  is  tl;e  difiin- 
guilhing  attribute  of  God,  and  this  can  only  have  rcfpeft 
to  offenders.  All  the  other  perle<^lions  of  God,  might  be 
exercifed  towards  pure  and  h.oly  creatures  ;  but  mercy, 
only  towards  fmners.  He  might  be  a  good,  holy,  julr, 
wife,  powerful  God,  to  perfons  in  a  itatc  of  innocence, 
but  he  can  Ihew  mercy,  only  to  the  guilty. 

Do  not  the  difpenfations  of  God's  providence,  fliev/ 
the  lame  thing  ?  He  fent.the  flood,  as  u  teitimony  of  the 
wickednefs  of  the  world,  and  for  the  punifliment  of  a 
guilty  race.  Remember  alfo  the. facrifices,  which  were 
appointed,  and  accepted  by  God  from  the  begivxning  of 
the  world.  Sacrifices  are  for  atonement,  and  expiation. 
They  are  plainly  a  fubftitution  in  the  room  of  a  forfeited 
life.  It  is  doing  violence  to  common  fenle,  to  make  them 
any  thing  elfe.  The  whole  Jewiili  ceconomy,  which  had 
in  it  fo  many  facrifices,  fo  many  offerings,  fo  many  wafn- 
ings  and  purifications,  does  plainly  fiippofe,  the  perfon 
ufing  them,  to  be  infedled  with  fin,  or  moral  pollution. 
Had  not  this  been  the  cafe,  they  had  been  extremely  ab- 
furd  and  improper. 

But  the  {Irongefi:  teftimony  of  all,  that  God  halli  given 
to  the  guilt  and  corruption  of  mankiiid,  is  his  fending  his 
own  Son  into  the  world,  to  redeem  them,  by  the  facrifice 
ofhimfclf — "^fo  what  purpofe  redeem  them,  if  they  were 
not  in  bondage  ?  Why  lb  collly  an  expiation,  if  our  lives 
had  not  been  forfeited  to  divine  jufiice  ?  Bat  that  it  wa." 
for  this  purpofe,  diat  Clirill  canie  into  the  world,  is  'iO 
plain,  from  the  whole  of  the  fcriptures,  that  i  Ihall  felecl 
but  one  paflage  out  of  many,  to  prove  it — IFbom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation.,  through  faith  in  hi^ 


304  Man  in  his  Natwal  State. 

Mood,  to  declare  his  righteousness^  for  the  remission  cfsins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God. 

What  is  faid  already  on  this  head,  is  a  full  proof  from 
fcripture,  that  man  is  now,  by  nature,  in   a  ftate  of  fin ; 
that  he  is  alfo,  in  confequence  of  that,  in  a  ftate  of  mifery, 
and    liable  to  the  wrath  of  God,  is  proved  by  many  of  the 
fame  paflages,  and  by  many  others — For  the  ivrath  of  God 
is  revealed  from  Heaven  against  all  ungodliness,  and  un- 
righteousness of  men,  i^ho  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness 
— For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  feV.   But  i  need  not  mul- 
tiply paiTdges  to  this  purpofe  ;  for  in  all  God's  difpenfati- 
ons,   the  deferved  punifliment  of  fmners,  is  as  evident, 
as  their  fmfulnefs  itfelf.     It  is  indeed   fully  proved,  from 
the  effential  perfections  of  God,  particularly  his  holinefs 
and  juftice.     He  is  of  purer  eyes,  than  that  he  can  behold 
iniquity.     Evil  cannot  dwell  with  him,  nor  fools,  that  is, 
fmners,  stand  in  his  fight. 

Is  not  all  this  then  my  brethren,  a  fufficient  proof,  from 
the  teftimony  of  God,  that  man  in  a  natural  ftate,  is  fmful 
and  miferable  ?  Shall  we  afiirm  ourfelves  to  be  whole,  if  he 
faith  we  are  unfound  ?  Do  Vve  know  more  than  God  ? 
Will  we  not  give  credit  to  the  fountain  of  truth  ?  Nor  is  it 
any  obje6lion  to  this,  that  we  ourfelves  know  it  not,  or  are 
but  little  fenfible  of  it.  One  confiderable  part  of  the  dif- 
eafe,  is  blindnefs  of  underftanding  :  fo  that  we  may,  and 
muft,  till  our  eyes  are  opened,  be  ignorant  oi  our  danger 
— We  may  think  and  fay,  that  we  are  rich,  and  increafed 
in  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing,  while  we  are  wretch- 
ed and  ?niserable,  and  blind  and  naked. 

1.  The  fame  thing  appears  from  the  vifible  ftate  of  the 
world,  and  our  own  experience.  Unbelievers  are  apt  to 
hear  with  indifference  and  negleft,  what  they  are  told 
from  fcripture  teftimony,  unlefs  otherwife  confirmed  to 
them ;  and  it  is  with  the  unbeliever  M^e  have  now  to  do. 
Befides,  the  eftablilhment  of  this  truth,  upon  other  evi- 
dence than  that  of  fcripture,  ought  to  have  a  powerful  in. 
iluence,  in  inducing  men  to  believe  the  other  truths  in 
icripture,  that  are  connected  with  and  founded  upon  it. 
J  think  it  therefore,  highly  proper,  to  lay  before  you  what 


Man  in  his  Natural  State.  305 

evidence  we  have  of  our  loft  flate,  from  the  obfervation  of 
the  world,  though  the  fcriptures  had  been  filcnt.  1  would 
likewife  recommend  to  all,  what  Ihall  be  faldon  this  I'ub- 
jed,  to  preferve  your  faith  unfliaken,  and  keep  you  from 
blalphemous,  unbelieving  thoughts,  if  at  any  time,  }'0u 
fliould  be  tempted  to  them  :  fince,  even  unenlightened 
reafon,  confirms  the  foundation  of  divine  truth,  and  na- 
ture, and  providence  confpire  in  preaching  the  dodlrinc 
of  divine  grace. 

Now,  doth  not  our  experience,  as  well  as  the  obferva- 
tion of  others,  fhew  us,  that  we  are  born  in  fm,  and  con- 
ceived in  iniquity  ?  May  we  not  lay  from  our  own  know- 
ledge, that  the  imaginations  of  the  heart  of  man,  are  only 
evil  from  his  youth,  and  that  continually  ?  Is  there  not  a 
pronenefs,  and  tendency  to  evil,  univerlally  to  be  obfcrved 
in  mankind  ?  and  a  backwardnels  and  averfion  to  that 
w^hich  is  good?  Is  not  this  apparent  even  in  children, 
upon  the  firll  dawn  of  reafon  in  their  minds,  and  the  lirll 
iight  of  choice  or  inclination  in  their  hearts  ?  Surely  it  nmll 
be  owned,  that  in  that  early  period,  they  are  at  leaft  com- 
paratively innocent — If  any  among  us,  is  without  fin,  it 
muft  be  the  youngeft  ;_y6^;yo//y  is  bound  in  the  heart  of  a 
child.  How  hard  is  it  to  guard  them  from  evil,  and  to  in- 
I'pire  them  with  good  difpofitions,  even  by  the  wifelt,  and 
earliell  care,  in  their  inllrudlion  r  And  even  after  the  moil 
fucccfsful  pains,  are  there  not  itill  many  remaining  ble- 
miflies,  through  the  prevalence  of  corrupt  nature,  which 
Ihew,  that  the  ground-work  itfelf,  was  faulty  ?  But  on  the 
contrary,  how  eafily  do  men  learn,  that  which  is  evil  ? 
Do  they  need  to  be  taught  ?  Is  it  not  enough  to  give  them 
licence  I  How  jult  is  that  defcription  in  Jeremiah  ?  They 
are  wise  to  do  evil,  but  to  do  good  they  have  no  knowledge. 
I  am  far  from  denying,  that  men  are  improved  and  for- 
warded in  fin,  by  inllruftion  and  example,  as  well  as  in 
that,  which  is  good :  but  it  is  plain,  they  are  far  apter 
fcholars,  in  the  firll,  than  in  the  lall ;  which  plainly  flicws, 
they  are  more  powerfully  difpofed  to  it,  by  nature.  Nay, 
is  it  not  evident,  from  the  univerfal  experience  and  tcfti- 
mony  ofthofe,  who  a6l  from  a  principle  of  Religion;  that 
it  is  extremely  difiTicult,  with  all  the  care  they  can  take, 
t«  refill  the  propeiifity  of  nature,  to  the  contrary  ?  And 


3o6  Manin  his  Natural  State. 

that  in  the  beft,  it  often  gets  the  fuperiority,  when  they 
are  off  their  guard?  Js  not  this  an  evidence  of  the  depra- 
vity and  corruption  of  human  nature,  and  its  tendency  to 
evil  ?  Arc  thofe  who  hate  fin,  often  overcome  by  it,  and 
lliall  thofe  who  love  it,  prefume  to  fay,  they  are  free 
from  it  ? 

If  any  fliould  afk,  how  I  prove  that  that  courfe  of  aftion, 
to  which  human  nature  is  inclined  is  evil,  Vv'ithout  the  af- 
fiftance  of  fcripture  ?  I  anfwer,  from  reafon ;  and  that 
many  waj'^s — from  its  pernicious  effedls  on  focieties,  and 
private  perfons  ;  from  the  teftimony  of  the  world  in  ge- 
neral, when  others,  than  themfelves,  are  concerned,  and 
from  the  teltimony  of  every  man's  confcience,  in  his  own 
cafe.  Who  is  there,  that  does  not  often  feel  in  himfelf,  a 
powerful  tendency  to  what  he  cannot  but  in  his  heart  con- 
der:in  ?  Is  not  his  confcience  God's  vicegerent  ?  and  doth 
not  natural  religion,  as  well  as  the  religion  of  Chrift,  de- 
clare him  corrupt  ?  So  that  I  may  fay  with  the  Apoflle 
Paul,  not  citing  the  paffage  as  a  proof,  but  as  an  illuftra- 
tion  and  defcription  of  the  charadler,  and  ilate  of  natural 
men — For  "when  the  Gentiles  ivhich  ha^e  not  the  law^  do 
by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  lanjo  :  these  halving 
not  the  lavjy  are  a  laiv  unto  themseheSy  %vhich  shew  the 
ivork  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts^  their  conscience 
also  bearing  witness^  and  their  thoughts^  the  inean  while^ 
accusing  or  else  excming  one  another. 

Thus  there  is  as  much  light  remaining  with  us  fmce 
the  fail,  as  to  Ihew,  that  we  are  cut  of  the  way,  but  not  to 
bring  us  back  to  it  again. 

As  a  ferious  coni'ideration  of  the  Hate  of  the  wdcked,  may 
Ihew  us  our  natural  impurity  :  fo  it  hath  been  long  ago 
difcovered,  and  confefied  by  many  of  the  ancient  heathens, 
who  never  heard  of  the  name  of  Chriil:,  nor  knew  of  the 
remedy.  Thefe,  difcerning  hj  nature,  ths  perfediiy  pure, 
and  holy  nature  of  God,  and  comparing  it  with  the  difpofi- 
tions  prevalent  in  man,  could  not  reconcile  them  toge- 
ther ;  but  concluded,  that  a  creature,  fo  corrupt,  could  not 
come  ^in  tliat  condition  out  of  the  hands  of  its  Creator. 
This  difficulty,  fome  of  them  endeavored  to  folve,  by  a 
flate  of  pre-exillence  ;  which  bears  fome  refemblance  lo 
the  true  folution,  given  of  it  in  the  holy  fcripture  :  viz. 


Man  in  his  Natural  State.  307 

the  apoftacy  of  our  firll  parents  ;  which  entailed  a  cor- 
rupted nature  upon  their  poflerity,  in  which,  the  light  of 
nature,  and  revealed  truth,  feem  almofl  wholly  to  coin- 
cide. 

It  is  to  the  fame  thing  that  I  cannot  help  attributing 
the  practice,  that  fo  univerfally  prevailed  over  die  headicn 
world,  before  the  coming  of  Chrift,  of  offering  sacrifices^ 
to  appeafe  the  wrath  of  the  deity,  Ibppofed  to  be  offended. 
That  the  cuftom  of  facrificing,  prevailed  very  generall)', 
perhaps  univerfally  among  the  heathen  nations,  at  the 
greateil  diflance  from,  and  having  no  correfpondence 
with  each  other,  is  a  certain  and  unqueftionable  faft.  Nei- 
ther do  I  fee  to  what  caufe  wc  can  afcribe  it,  unlefs  to  one 
of  thefe  two  ;  either  an  ancient  tradition,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  and  fpread  with  the  inhabitants,  through 
the  feveral  parts  of  it,  as  they  fepanited  and  peopled  it ; 
or  to  the  common  condition  of  human  nature,  which  dic- 
tated the  fame  thing,  to  perfons,  in  fuch  diflant  places. 

If  the  iird  of  thefe  fuppofitions  is  embraced,  which  in- 
deed I  fuppofe  to  be  the  truth,  it  appears  that  facrifices 
were  appointed  by  God  to  man,  in  his  fallen  flate,  for  the 
pardon  of  fm,  and  that  they  had  reference,  to,  the  gre^t 
propitiatory  facrilice  of  Chrift,  upon  the  crofs. 

If  we  prefer  the  laft  fuppofition,  it  would  feem  as  if  the 
confciouliiefs  of  guilt,  had  uniformly  prompted  men  in 
all  ages  and  nations,  to  offer  up  fome  atonement  for  their 
offences.  In  both  cafes,  it  equally  ferves,  to  prove  the 
corruption,  and  fmfulnefs  of  human  nature. 

Nov/,  as  what  hath  been  faid,  plainly  proves  the  impu- 
rity of  man,  in  his  natural  flate :  fb  his  mifery  and  lia- 
blenefs  to  punifhment,  may  alfo  be  proved  ;  both  as  a  na- 
tural confequence  of  his  finfulnefs,  and  even,  more  plain- 
ly, by  itfelf.  There  is  not  only  a  confiderable  degree  of 
adhial  mifery  in  the  world,  but  plain  prcfages  of  more  to 
follow  it  in  the  world  to  come.  Need  I  take  up  much 
time,  in  enumerating  the  feveral  miferies  and  calamities 
incident  to  human  life  ?  Are  not  opprellion  and  ir.jury 
from  one  another,  poverty,  licknefs,  pain  and  death,  the 
plain  fruits  of  fm,  and  viOble  tokens  of  God's  difpleafure  ? 
Man  with  fomi  marks  of  fuperiority  and  excellence  of 


3o3  Man  in  his  Natural  State. 

nature,  is  even,  by  means  of  his  {uperiority,  his  know- 
ledge, and  forelight  of  his  own  fufferings,  more  miferable, 
than  any  otiier  of  the  creatures,  that  is  equally  fubjedt  to 
the  flroke  of  death. 

To  the  whole,  I  fhall  only  fubjoin  one  confideration 
more,  which  is  applicable  to  both  parts  of  the  argument — 
I  have  often  thought,  that  the  natural  terror  and  fear^ 
with  IV hie h  men  are  possest  of  the  presence  of  God ^  or  any 
remarkable  token  of  his  power^  is  nothing  else^  but  an  in- 
dication of  guilty  or  an  apprehension  of  wrath. 

You  may  fee  fome  incidents  in  fcripture,  from  Vv  hich 
it  is  natural  to  conclude,  that  when  God  makes  any  vifi- 
ble  manifellation  of  his  glory,  or  fends  any  of  his  angels 
or  minillers  from  heaven  to  earth  ;  thofe  who  are  prefent, 
are  filled  with  the  utmoft  dread  and  terror. 

Thus  in  the  relation  given  of  God's  appearance  upon 
Mount  Sinai,  it  is  faid ;  And  so  terrible  was  the  sight, 
that  Moses  said,  I  exceedingly  fear  a?id  quake.  See  ano- 
ther example,  in  Ifaiah — Then  said  /,  woe  is  me^  for  I 
am  undone^  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips ;  for 
mine  eye";  hcroe  seen  the  King^  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  And 
in  the  New  Teitament,  in  the  apoftie  John — And  when 
I  saw  hiiUf  [fell  at  his  feet  as  dead. 

And  is  not  this  always  the  cafe,  in  all  ages,  that  upon 
any  remarka.ble  appearance  of  an  inhabitant  of  the  other 
world,  or  even  when  any  fuch  thing  is  falfely  apprehend- 
ed, the  inhabitants  of  this  world  are  filled  with  extraordi- 
nary terror  ?  What  is  this  do  you  imag'ne,  but  confci- 
oufnefs  of  guilt,  and  apprehenfion  of  vengeance  ? 

Innocence  has  no  enemy,  and  it  has  nothing  to  fear. 
We  are  all  in  much  the  fame  cafe  with  Adam,  immedi- 
ately after  hjl  firll  tranfgreflion ;  when  he  heard  God's 
voice  in  the  garden,  he  was  afraid,  and  fed,  and  hid 
himself — We  read  of  no  fuch  fear  poffelTing  him,  v/hile  he 
retained  his  innocence,  but  as  fbon  as  he  had  fmned,  he 
beo^an  to  dread  an  avenging  God. 

From  all  this  then,  I  Vv'ould  conclude,  that  reafon  accords 
with  icripture,  in  faying,  that  all  ha^ce  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God:  that  man  in  a  natjural  Hate,  is 
'9iretcbed  and  miserable^  and  poor^  aJid  blind,  and  naked. 


C     3 '^9     3 


^^  ^-^  ^QB  OOLt  0*CO  CCOO  C<»0  coco  MU  QOCO  OOOO  OCOO  OOCO  OD^I  CiOOO  COOC  OOCO  PXO  OOM  OQO)  0(»Q  dCM  COOO  COOO  fl 

^  tf  jeoa  '«M  OOCO  eooo  0:00  coco  ooco  co30  coco  cooo  0000  zMa  ccoo  coco  0000  coog  oco>  coco  ao»9  •coo  oocx.  c«w  9oc»  4 


.ANiMDUCEMENT  ro  GOME  xo  CHRIST 

A 

SERMON 


Rev.  iii.  17. 

Because  thou  saycst  I a7nrich^  and  increased  'with  goods^ 
and  ha'de  need  of  nothing  ;  and  hiowest  not  thtit  thoti 
art 'wretched^  and  ?uiserabL\  and  poo}\  andblind^and 

-    naked. 

HAVING  in  a  former  diicourfe,  proved,  and  illuf- 
trated  this  truth  ;  that  all  mankind  are  by  nature, 
in  a  Hate  of  fmand  mifery,  under  the  bondage  of  corrnp- 
tion,  and  liable  to  the  wrath  of  Sod: — I  proceed  now  to 
the  second  thing  propofed,  which  was  to  flievv  you,  that 
being  brought  to,  a  lively  fenfe,  and  genuine  eonviftiou 
of  this,  is  the  firft,  and  a  necelTary  Hep,  to  the  favinr^ 
knowledge  of  God,  in  Chrlll:. 

On  this,  I  Ihall  not  need  to  fpend  much  time,  as  it  is 
fo  exceedingly  plain,  both  in  itfelf,  and  from  what  hath 
been  already  faid — It  is  however  neceflary  to  fet  it  cle^ly 
before  you,  in  order  to  lay  a  foundation,* for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  fubje£l. 

If  the  dodlrine  of  Chrifl,  and  of  him  crucified,  proceeds 
upon  the  f.ippofition  of  our  fmful,  and  mifcrable  condition 
bv  nature  ;  then  furely,  it  can  neither  be  valued,  emb^a- 
'  Vol.  II.  3  q^ 


310  An  Liducement  to  come  to  Cbrisi. 

ced,  nor  improved ;  and  indeed,  I  think  hardly  under* 
ftood,  by  thofe,  wjio  know  not  this  their  natural  ftate. 
What  Chrifl:  hath  done,  and  promifcs  to  do  in  our, behalf, 
is  defigned  as  a  remedy,  for  our  diftrefied  condition  ;  and 
therefore,  till  the  diflrefs  is  known,  the  remedy  will  be 
fet  at  nought.  If  a  phyfician  fnould  oiler  his  care  and  Hiill, 
for  the  recovery  of  a  man,  v/ho  eftcemed  himfelf  in  perfedt 
health,  v/oukl  he  net  deride  the  propofal,  fo  long  as  he 
coniinued  in  that  opinion  ?  If  any  man  fhoukl  offer  a 
cha.ritable  fupply  of  clothes  and  food,  to  one,  who  imagi- 
ned himfelf  irnmenfely  rich,  and  gloried  in  his  riches  ; 
would  he  not  look  upon  it,  as  the  groffefl  infult  ? 

Juft  fo  is  the  gofpel  treated,  by  all  fuch  as  fee  not  their 
mifery.  What  isthe  fubftanceof  tiie  gofpel?  '  To  you 
'■  O  men,  I  call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  fons  of  men. 
'  Behold !  I  preach  to  you  Chrifl;  crucified,  a  Saviour, 
'  fuitedtoyour  neceffities,  able  to  fave,  to  the  uttermoft, 

*  all  that  come  to  God  through  him.     He  is  v/eil  fitted  to 

*  be  a  mediator,  between  you,  and  3^our  offended  Maker. 
'■  lie  hath  offered  himfelf  up,  a  facnnce  to  the  juflice  of 
'  God,  for  your  fins,  by  the  merit  of  which,  you  may  be 
'  faved  from  deferved   and   impending  ruin.     He  offers 

*  himfelf  as  a  guide,  to  dired  your  feet  in  the  way  of  peace 
<  — to  fcand  by  you  in   the  difficulties  and  dangers  to 

*  which  you  are  expofed,  and  to  give  you  by  his  com- 

*  municated  ffrength,  a  complete  viftory  over  all  your 

*  enemies.' 

What  reply  doth  the  unconvinced  finner  make,  to  all 
this  ?  Why  he  laith,  '  I  know  nothing  of  this  mifery  you 
'  fuppofe,  wherefore  then  a  Saviour  ?    I  fee  no  fin,  what 

*  necefiity   then,  for  an  atonem.ent  ?     I    fear  no  wrath, 

*  therefore  will  feek  for  no  Intercefibr.  My  eyes  are  open, 

*  therefore  I  will  have  no  guide.     J  know  of  no  enemies, 

*  and  therefore,  will  not  enter  into  contention  with  a  Ilia- 

*  dow,  or  f.ee,  when  no  man  purfueth.' 

Thefe  my  bretliren,  are  either  direclly,  or  implicitly, 
the  thoughts  of  men,  in  a  fecure,  and  unconvinced  Hate  ; 
and  while  they  are  fo,  they  can  fee  no  form.,  nor  comli- 
nefs  in  the  Saviour,  nor  any  beauty,  that  they  Ihould  de- 
iire  him.. 


An  Inducement  to  come  to  Const.  311 

It  is  otherwife  with  the  broken  in  fpirit.  He  fees  Iiis 
own  vilenels,  and  unwortliiners,  and  therefore  cannot 
lift  his  eyes  to  God,  but  through  the  atoning  blood  of 
Ghrill.  He  fears  the  avenger  of  blood,  and  therefore  flees 
to  the  city  of  refh:ye — The  meflage  of  the  gofpel,  is  to 
him,  indeed  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  and  he  counts  it  a 
faithful  Hiving,  diniiivorthy  of  all  acceptation. 

The  juilice  of  this  reprefentation,  you  n^ay  fee,  from 
what  our  Saviour  hiinfelf  fa)s,  oftiicend  of  his  coming. 
*'  They  that  be  whole,  need  not  aphyucian,  but  they  that 
"  are  fick  :  But  go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  will 
*'  have  mercy  and  not  flicrifice  ;  for  I  ?.m  not  come  to  call 
*'  the  righteous,  but  Cnners  to  repentance.*' 

See  alfo  tlic  terms  of  his  invitation.  "  Come  unto  mc 
"  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  i  v/iil  give 
"  you  refl." 

Appetite,  and  knov/lcdge  of  necCiTity,  is  nrft  required, 
or  fuppofed,  to  the  beilo'.ving  of  Gofpei  blclfings — "  Ho  ! 
".everyone  that  thirtieth,  come  ye  to  the  waters." 

I  Ihall  only  add,  that  we  find  by  the  inflances  record- 
ed in  fcripture,  of  fuch  as  v/ere  coiiverted  by  the  preaching 
of  the  golpel ;  that  their  ccnverfion,  took  its  rife,  from 
convicliion  of  fm — "  Now  when  they  he-:ird  this,  tiiey  v/ere 
"  pricked  in  their  hearcs,  and  faid  unto  Peter,  and  to  the 
*'  rclt  of  the  apofdes,  men  and  brethren,  what  fhall  we 
"  do  ?"  See  alfo  the  inflance  of  tiie  jailor — "  Then  he 
♦*  called  for  a  light,  and  fprang  in,  and  came  trembling, 
"  and  fell  down  before  Paul  and  Silas  :  And  brought  them 
"  out,  and  faid  firs,  what  mull  I  do  lo  be  faved  V 

Repentance  unto  lire,  and  the  return  of  the  fmner  to 
God,  proceeds  from  the  fame  cauie,  in  every  age.  Who 
are  the  per.'bns  who  believingly  apply  to  Ciirill  for  the 
pardon  of  their  fms,  but  tliofe  who  fee  they  are  undone 
v/ithout  him  ?  V/ho  are  the  perfon.s  in  whofe  eyes  he  is 
moft  precious,  and  who  maintain  the  mod  habitual  de- 
pendance  upon  him  ■  Are  they  not  ihofe  whiO  have  b.ccn 
mod  effedually  humbled,  and  fee  their  own  infuiiiciency 
for  any  thing  that  is  good  ? 

From  all  this  I  conclude,  that  none  can  come  to  Chrifl 
by  faith,  but  thofe  who  fee  themfelves  to  be  ivretcbcd, 
and  miserable^  and  blind ^  andnahcd. 


^t2  An  Inducement  to  come  to  Christ. 

Let  us  now  make  fome  improvement,  of  what  hatk 
been  faid  upon  this  fubjecl,  for  your  mftruclion  and  di- 
re6lion. 

I.  I  would  improve  what  has  been  faid  on  this  fubjecb, 
for  difcovering  ths  danger  of  many  among  us,  who  have 
never  yet  been  brought  to  a  juft  fenfe  of  their  charafter, 
and  ftate.  Even  the  general  belief,  that  fuch  often  have 
in  the  fcriptures,  may  fhew  them  what  they  have  to  fear. 
I  might  no  doubt  firil  of  all  obferve,  how  Ytrj  guilty  and 
miferable  thofe  are,  wdio  are  moft  notorious  for  fms,  of  the 
groffeit  and  moft  fiiameful  kind.  But  my  fubject  leads 
me  more  direftly  to  confider,  who  are  in  general,  unre- 
newed, than  to  mark  the  feveral  degrees  of  guilt  in  parti- 
cular finners.  From  the  text  therefore,  and  the  ilhiftra- 
tion  of  it,  I  am  authorized  to  declare  to  you,  and  /  be- 
seech you  to  hear  it  •with  application  ;  that  all  fuch  as  were 
never  breueht  to  a  real  difcovery,  and  inward  fenfe,  of 
Jtheir  miferable  condition  by  nature,  are  Hill  in  a  Hate  of 
wrath,  and  ftrangers  to  the  power  of  religion,  whatever 
may  be  their  profeffion,  and  whatever  may  be  their  ])re- 
fent  peace.  Oh  !  hov/  eafy  is  it,  to  lay  afleep  a  natural 
confcience,  and  to  keep  a  deceitful  corrupt  heart,  in  a 
ilate  of  eafe  and  fecurity  ?  Some  formality  in  outward  du- 
ty, fome  moderation  in  fin,  fo  to  fpeak,  the  natural  de- 
cay, and  weaknefs  of  human  paffions,  or  youthful  lulls, 
in  a  charader,  formed  by  human  prudence,  and  regula- 
ted by  health,  credit  or  gain,  is  often  made  to  fupply  the 
place,  .of  a  heart  renewed  by  the  fpirit  and  grace  of  God. 
But  coniider,  I  befeech  you,  that  though  fome  may  be 
ten  fold  more  the  children  of  the  devil  than  others,  yet 
all  by  nature,  are  the  fervants  of  fm  ;  and  "  except  a  man 
*'  be  born  again,  he  cannot  fee  the  kingdom  of  God." — 
'It  is  not  only  fi^ch  as  are  profane,  or  unclean  ;  fuch  as 
riot  in  brutilh  fenfibliity  ;  fuch  as  are  the  plagues  of  hu- 
man fociety ;  wlio  live  in  brawls  and  contention  ;  but  all, 
in  whom,  an  eifentiai  change,  has  never  been  wrought, 
that  are  thus  cc?//i://^r/(?^  under  condemnation. 

'it  is  ufual  for  men  to  take  encouragement,  from  feeing 
others  worfe  than  themfelves  ;  and  to  conf.der  all  the 
ihreatenings  in  fcripture^  as  levelled  againft  the  chief  and 


.dii  inducement  to  come  to  Cbrht.  313 

capital  ofTcnclers  ;  but  my  text  is  chiefly  direclcd  to  fuch, 
as  iay  they  are  "rich,  and  increafed  with  goods."  Can 
you  lay  then,  my  brethren,  that  you  have  been  brought 
under  genuine  convidions  ofiin?  Have  you  been  obli- 
ged to  fall  down  profrrate  before  God,  when  fitting  upon 
the  throne  of  his  holinefs  ?  Have  you  found  the  fcntence 
of  death  in  yourfelves,  and  difcovercd  no  rehn«:'d}-  but  in 
Chriil  ?  If  this  has.never  been  your  cafe,  you  have  rcjafon 
to  fear,  that  you  are  yet  "  in  the  gall  of  bittcnicfs,  and  in 
"  the  bond  of  iniquity." 

But  I  mufl:  tell  you  alfo  that  this  is  matter  of  fceUng, 
more  than  of  profeilion.  It  is  not  enougli  to  fpcak  ho- 
norably of  Chrifi;,  or  of  his  works.  Man)-  do  fo,  who  ne- 
ver felt  their  neceflity,  or  ferioufl}'  and  in  good  earnell, 
applied,  to  him.  It  were  a  happy  thing,  if  all  among  our 
hearers,  who  call  for  evangelical  preaching,  who  quarrel 
with  us  whin  they  think  we  do  not  preach  the  Saviour's 
crofs — the  lofi.  iiate  of  man,  and  the  doclrine  of  free  grace, 
were  experimentally  acquainted  with  thcfc  truths.  Many 
fuch,  have  only  been  accuftomed  to  hear  the  Redeemer 
fpoken  of  with  reverence.  They  may  be  able  to  iinitate 
the  language  of  fome  of  Iiis  fervants,  though  they  know- 
very  little  of  that  brokennefs  of  fpirit,  which  accompanies 
true  repentance. 

But  left  this  fhould  be  in  any  meafure  miftaken,  1  mufl: 
make  thefc  two  obfervations — the  first  is,  that  a  lively 
fenfe  and  deep  convidtion  of  fm,  is,  properly  fpeaking, 
but  a  negative  mark  of  true  religion  ;  giving  us  to  know, 
that  the  unhumbled  are  yet  impenitent.  For  it  is  certain, 
that  many  have  been  under  very  firong  convidions,  nay, 
have  been  driven  to  tlie  very  borders  of  defj^air  with  ter- 
ror, who  yet  never  were  elleiStually  changed,  but  fiifled 
their  convidions,  and  returned  to  their  former  fecuritv  of 
heart,  and  carelefTnels  of  life. 

Secondly,  there  may  be  fon^c  on  luc  u.-li  i>.iii.!_,  x^no 
are  truly  borno/God^  in  Vwhom  the  terrors  of  convidion 
have  not  been  very  remarkable.  This  hr.ppcns  moft  fre- 
quently in  the  cafe  of  thofe,  wlio  are  called  in  their  infan- 
cy, or  earlier  years,  and  wlio  have  had  the  advantage  of  a 
careful,  and  piouB  education.     It  would  be  dcfirudivfe  oi 


314  ^^  Inducement  to  come  to  Christ, 

the  comforts  of  God's  children  to  lay  down  one  method,m 
which  he  always  proceeds.  He  is  free  and  foverelgn,  in 
the  manner  of  his  dealing  with  fmners  ;  and  foftens  fome 
hearts  by  kindnefs,  as  well  as  others  by  corre&icn.  So 
that  if  the  end  be  brought  about,  we  need  be  leis  folicitous 
about  the  fteps  of  his  procedure.  Yet  I  think  humil'.ty  of 
Ipirit,  is  infeparable  from  real  religion  ;  and  if  it  be  Icfs 
vifible,  in  the  anguifh  of  repentance,  it  will  be  itill  maui- 
leit  in  the  temper  of  the  penitent. 

II.  Let  me  now,  for  the  improvement  of  this  fubjedl, 
lay  down  a  few  of  the  beft  and  moil  folid  evidences  of  ge- 
nuine conviftion  of  fm.     And, 

I.  It  is  a  good  fign  that  conviction  is  genuine,  when 
there  is  a  clear  and  deep  appreaennon  of  the  einl  of  fm, 
as  well  as  the  danger  of  it.  V/hen  the  mind  dwells  not 
only  on  the  atrocity  of  particular  crimes,  btft  on  the  ag- 
gravation of  all  fm,  as  fuch  :  When  the  fmner  is  truly 
offended  with  himfelf,  for  depaiting  from  his  Maker's  fer.. 
vice  ;  breaking  his  holy  laws  ;  forgetting  or  defpiliiig  his 
innumerable  mercies  :  tliere  may  be,  and  there  is  often 
an  apprehenfion  of  fufFering  when  there  is  little  feme  of 
tiie  evil  of  fm  :  but  the  conviftion  is  then  genuine,  W'hen 
it  makes  the  fmner  not  only  remember  what  be  has  done, 
but  confess  what  he  has  deserced. 

2..  It  is  a  good  evidence,  when  the  fenfe  of  the  evil  of 
fin  abides  and  grows,  even  thougli  the  fear  of  wrath  m.ay 
in  a  great  meafure  have  abated. 

It  is  obfervable,  that  conviftion  of  fm  ufually  takes  its 
rife  from  fom.e  grofs  or  heinous  afts,  which  iirll  alarm  the 
confcience,  and  in  fuch  a  fituation  tlie  attention  of  the  pe- 
nitent is  fixed  on  nothing  elfe,  but  the  enormities  of  his 
life.  If  this  view  continues,  and  produces  its  effects,  he 
is  foon  brought  to  fee,  and  confefs,  the  inherent  vanity  of 
his  heart ;  -  the  worldiinefs  of  his  affedlions  ;  and  the  un-. 
profitablenefs  of  his  converfatton.  IL  is  a  very  common 
tiling  for  perfons  who  feem  to  have  fomc  fenfe  of  the  com- 
miffion  ofcrim.es,  to  have  little  or  no  fenfe  at  all,  of  the 
negleSl  of  duty,  and  of  living  daily  to  themfelves.  It 
was  a  heavy  chai'ge,  however,  brought  by  the  prophet 


An  Inducement  to  come  to  Christ,  515 

acr^.inft  Beldiazzar :  "  And  the  God  in  whofc  hand  thy 
*'  l>;-aath  is,  and  whole  are  all  thy  ways,  haft  thou  not  glori- 
"  iici."  Wherever  there  is  true  repentance,  though  there 
nm}'  be  the  greateft  peace  of  mind,  there  will  be  alfo  a 
dc(  ■  'id  growing  fenle  of  the  evil  of  fm,  and  the  obliga- 
tion clbeaig habitually  devoted  to  God. 

3.  It  is  a  good  evidence,  when  there  is  a  continued 
and  growinnj  efteem  of  the  neceiiity,  and  value  of  the  nie- 
di.ition  of  GhriiL.  It  was  to  lave  finners  that  he  came, 
A  fenfe  of  fm  is  neceiTary  to  our  receiving  him  ;  and  in 
prnportionto  its  ftrength,  will  certainly  be  our  attachment 
to  him.  This  indeed,  is  the  great,  and  vital  principle  of 
the  fpiritual  life — "  I  am  crucified  with  Chrift,  neverthe- 
*'  lefs  1  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Chrift  livcth  in  me  :  and  the 
*'  liie  which  ^l  now  live  in  the  ficfti,  I  live  by  the  faith  of 
*'  the  Son  of  God ;  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himfelf  to 
"  die  for  me." 

4.  The  beft  and  fureft  mark  of  real  convidlion  of  fm, 
is,  if  it  leaves  you  poffeiTed  of  a  deep  hatred,  and  abhor- 
rence of  it,  and  a  daily  folicitude  to  fly  from  it.  Some 
may  counterfeit  a  knie  of  tlie  evil  of  fin,  to  their  own 
hearts  ;  may  have  a  real  fear  of  its  bitter  confequences  ; 
and  even  a  prefumptuous  reliance  on  Chrift  for  pardon; 
and  yet  may  in  fome  inilanccs,  adhere  to  the  practice 
of  it. 

Floods  of  tears  from  fuch  a  pcrfon,  avail  nothing  :  but 
he  hath  ceruuinly,  truly  forrowed  for  fin,  who  in  his  prac- 
tice ferfakes  it ;  that  is  to  fay,  he  is  not  willingly  fubjeft 
to  any  known  fin — but  fays  with  Ellhu,  "  That  which  I 
"  fee  not,  teach  thou  me  :  If  I  have  done  iniquity,  I  will. 
*'  do  no  more." 

III.  Let  me  befeech  all  fcrious  pcrfons,  to  improve 
this  ftibjact  for  the  trial  of  their  ftate.  Examine,  by  the 
principles  above  laid  down,  the  reality,  and  the  progrefs 
of  religion  in  your  fouls.  Have  you  a  growing  fenfe  of 
the  evil  of  fin,  and  of  your  own  unworthinefs  ? — Tliis  is 
at  once  an  evidence,  and  a  mean,  of  growth  in  grncc. 
He  that  thinks  Icaft  of  himfelf,  is  higlieft  in  God's  account; 
and   the  more  a  believer  increafes  in  holinefs  and  real 


3i6  An  Inducement  to  come  to  Christ > 

worth,  the  more  he  increafes  in  humility.  A«  it  is  an 
evidence,  it  is  aifo  a  mean,  of  further  improvement ;  for 
he  tliat  hath  the  deepell  fenfe  of  his  unworthinefs  and  v/eak- 
nefs,  v/ill  ccKtainly  Hve  moll  by  faith,  in  the  merit  and 
grace  of  his  Redeemer. 

Therefore,  Chriiilans,  try  yourfelves  by  this  im.portant 
lign.  VvHiether  do  you,  by  religious  duties,  build  your 
felves  up  on  felf-righteoufnefs,  or  do  you  only  learn  by 
them,  Iiow  far  you  fall  Ihort  of  what  is  incumbent  on  you? 
What  innumerable  evils  compafs  you  about  ?  and  therefore 
how  much  you  have  need  of  mercy  infte'ad  of  rev/ard  ? 
Do  you  look  upon  the  works  of  righteoulnefs  which  3'-oii 
have  done,  as  fomcthing,  by  which  you  merit  at  the  hand 
of  God  ;  or  do  you  look  upon  them,  as  the  eniidence  of  his 
own  work  in  you,  and  for   you,  and   give     -  glory, 

to   whom  it  is  due  ? 

IV.  I  fliali  now  conclude  the  whole,  with  a  few  direc- 
tions for  producing  and  preferving  this  profitable  fenfe, 
and  conviftion  of  fm.     And, 

1.  Let  me  beg  of  every  hearer,  the  ferious  confidera- 
tion  of  him.felf,  and  his  ways.  Many  have  no  fenfe  of 
their  fmfulnefs,  becaufe  they  have  no  knowledge  of  them.- 
felves  at  all ;  but  go  through  the  world,  in  uninterrupted 
thcaghtleflhefs,  and  unconcern.  Is  there  any  thing  of 
greater  moment  than  the  flate  of  yom\  minds,  and  your 
hope  tov/ards  God  ?  Inattention,  is  perhaps  a  more  uni- 
verfal  caufe  of  impiety,  than  high  handed,  and  obftinate 
profanity.  Would  you  but  ferloufiy  confider  your  ways, 
and  lay  to  heart  the  things  that  belong  to  your  peace,  I 
would  count  it  a  hopeful  circumftance  ;  and  expert,  you 
would  fpeedily  fee  yowx  danger,  and  God  in  his  mercy 
w^ould  lead  you  to  the  cure. 

2.  Give  yourfelves  m.uch  to  reading,  and  hearing  the 
v/ord  of  God.  The  entrance  of  his  word,  giveth  light. — 
It  is  profitable  for  doftrine,  for  reproof,  and  corretlion  : 
but  it  is  particularly  neceifary  for  coniiiction  ;  for  by  the 
law  \z  the  knowledge  of  fin.  What  wonder,  if  thofe  who 
never  open  a  bible,  and  leldom  enter  into  the  houfe  of 
God,  ihould  be  ignorant  of  their  guilt  and  n>ilery  ?  Tlie 
word  of  God  ftews  his  right  in  you,  pleads  his  caufe,  and_ 


Jji  Inducement  to  come  to  CLiist.  317 

diillengcs  yoLir  apoftacy.  It  is  exceedingly  rare  tbat  thofe 
who  have  fairly  turned  their  backs  upoa  God's  inriitutcd 
worlliip,  are  difiurbcd  in  their  fecurity  ;  but  are  lUiTcrcd 
to  flecp  on,  till  they  fleep  the  lleep  of  death.  But  it  fre- 
quently happens,  that  thofc  who  attend  ordinances,  even 
from  no  higher  principle  than  curiofity,  culloni,  or  form, 
find  that  the  word  of  God  is  afrc  and  hammer,  that  brcak- 
cth  the  rock  in  pieces  :  "  that  it  is  quick  and  powcruil, 
"  fharper  than  any  two  edged  fvvord,  picrcinp;,  even  to 
"  the  dividing  afunder  of  foul  and  fpirit,  and  joints  and 
"  marrow,  and  is  a  difcerner  of  the  thoughts,  and  intents 
''  of  the  heart.'' 

3.  In  the  lafl  place.  Let  me  befeech  you,  often  to  feat 
yourfelves,  in  the  immediate  prefence  of  God,  or  rather, 
frequently  to  recoiled:,  that  you  can  no  where  go  from  his 
fpirit,  or  tly  from  his  prefence.  There  is,  if  I  may  fpeak 
fo,  a  light  and  glory  in  the  prefence  of  God,  that  difccrns, 
and  dilblofes  the  works  of  darknefs.  We  may  often  cx- 
,cufe,  or  palliate  our  conduil  to  men,  and  even  hide  its  de^ 
formity  from  our  ovv-n  view,  wlien  we  could  not  jufiify  it 
to  ourfelves,  if  we  refiedlied,  that  "  it  is  open  and  mani- 
*'  felt,  in  the  fight  of  God." — If  therefore  there  is  any  thing 
in  your  pradlice,  which  you  are  inclined  to  palliate,  and  apt 
to  excufc — fuppofe,  you  were  {landing  at  the  judgment 
feat  of  Chrifl:,  where  all  of  us  iliall  fliortiy  be  ;  and  think, 
whether  your  excufes  will  then  Hand  tlie  tefh  of  his  im-^ 
partial  fearch." 

"  If  our  hearts  condemn  us  not,  God  is  greater  than  ouf 
hearts,  and  knoweth  all  things."  It  is  therefore  the  duty, 
and  intereft  of  every  fmner,  to  take  fliame  and  confufion 
office  tohimfelf,  and  apply  to  the  ''  blood  of fprinkling^ 
"  which  fpeaketh  better  things,  than  the  blood  of  Abel/* 


Vol.  II.  a  R 


C   319   ] 


>  oMa  wn  MW  06M  ^M•  ecot  MCe  nto  moo  oa»  woo  cooo  •>«>  moo  moo  n«a  -vem  ■-»  nw  weo  fiM9 1 
I  toe*  no*  ooo*  00C3  -  x«  0000  0000  woa  ooco  0000  oco*  -.ooo  5oa»  cj»i  ooco  <*  oa  oa»  ooo  sooa  T-<r>  w>»  r 


TRUST  IN'  GOD. 


SERMON. 


Isaiah  1.  io. 


IF/jo  is  among  you  that  fcareth  the  Lord,  that  ohcycth  the 
voice  of  his  servant,  that  ivalhth  in  darkness,  and 
hath  no  light  ?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord^ 
a?ul  stay  upon  his  God. 

IT  is  liiid  of  every  real  believer,  that  he  walks  by  faith 
and  notmy  ^ght.  If  this  is  true,  it  will  follo\^•,  that 
his  faith  muft  be  expofed  to  a  variety  of  trials,  while  he 
continues  in  a  world  of  fenfe.  Tliefe  trials  arife  from 
the  Hate  of  his  own  mind — from  his  outward  condition — 
from  the  flate  of  the  world  with  which  he  Hands  connec- 
ted, and  from  the  mutual  influence  of  all  thefe,  one  upon 
another.  From  tliis  filuation  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  that  there 
are  few  duties,  for  the  exercifc  of  which,  a  good  man  will 
have  greater  or  more  frequent  occafion,  than  that  ol  trull 
and  reliance  upon  God.  Trufl  is  the  duty  and  the  refuge 
of  the  needy — of  the  dependant — of  the  weak — the  timo- 
rous, and  the  difrrefied.  How  many  are  included  under 
one  or  more  of  thefe  character*: ;  or  rather,  who  is  it  that 
can  Hiy  he  is  altogether  excluded  ? 

Agreeably  to  this,  we  need  but  open  the  facred  volume, 
to  perceive  Iiov/  frequent  the  exhortr.tions  are  to  Irufl:  in 


320  Trust  h  God.  • 

God,  and  how  many  views  are  given  us  of  his  power, 
wiiclom,  mercy  and  faidifulnefs,  to  encourage  us  to  an 
uniliaken  reliance.  At  the  fame  time,  I  am  forry  to  fay, 
that  there  are  few  duties  which  are  more  imperfeftly  un- 
derllood  by  many  profeffing  Chriftians.  Even  pious  per- 
ibns  oiten  fni  both  on  the  riglit  hand  and  on  the  left,  that 
is  to  fay,  both  by  diffidence  and  prefumption.  I  have, 
therefore,  laid  hold  of  this  opportunity,  and  made  choice 
of  this  naifage  of  fcripture,  in  order  to  open  and  illuilrate 
a  little  this  important  duty  of  a  fervant  of  God.  Hov/ 
ieafoniible  it  is  you  will  eafily  j^erceive,  for  in  the  facra- 
ment  of  the  Lord's  Supper  we  have  fet  before  us  Chrill 
Jefus  the  unfpeakable  gift  of  God — the  great  pledge  of  his 
love,  and  the  great  foundation  of  our  reliance  upon  him, 
not  only  for  his  faving  mercy  in  general,  but  for  every  ne- 
ceifary  bleffing  in  our  way  to  eternal  refl. 

This  paifage  of  fcripture  is  alfo  well  fuited  to  the  fub- 
je6l.  It  was  fpoken  to  the  Jews  in  a  lax  and  difTolute  age, 
when  many  had  turned  their  backs  upon  the  fervice  of 
God — had  deferted  his  ordinances,  and  defpifed  his  fcr- 
vants,  which  is  always  an  occafion  both  of  afflidlion  and 
temptation  to  his  own  children.  This  appears  from  the 
firft  words  of  the  chapter.  "  For  thus  faith  the  Lord, 
"  where  is  the  bill  of  your  mother's  divorcement,  whom  I 
**■  have  put  away  ?  and  which  of  my  crdHJItors  is  it  to 
"  Vv'hom  I  have  fold  you  ?  Behold,  for  your  iniquities 
''  you  have  fold  yourfelves,  and  for  your  tranfgrefiions  is 
^'  your  mother  put  away."  As  alfo  from  the  3d  and  4th 
verfes.  '■*  I  clothe  the  heavens  v/ith  blaeknefs,  and  I  make 
'•'■  fackcioih  their  covering.  The  Lord  God  hath  given 
"^^  me  tlie  tongue  of  the  learned,  that!  lliould  know  hov/ 
*'  to  fpeak  a  word  in  feafon  to  him  that  is  weary.  ' 

In  difcourfing  farther  on   tliis  fubjeft,  it   is  propofed, 
through  the  afiiliance  of  divine  grace, 

L  To  open  a  little  the  charaftcr  and  flate  of  thofe  who 
arc  called  upon  and  exhorted  to  trull  in  tiic  name  of  the 
Lord.  .     . 

II.  To  explain  the  duty  of  truiK  and  point  out  the- 
pundaticii  cf  it.        ■  •      • 


Trust  in  God.  321 

III.  To  apply  the  fubjedl  for  your  inflruftion  and  com- 

Ibrt. 

In  the  Firfl:  place  tlicn,  I  am  to  open  a  little  the  cha- 
radler  and  (late  of  thofe  who,  are  here  called  upon  and  ex- 
horted to  trull  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Their  defcription  is  as  follows  :  "  Who  is  among  you 
"  that  feareth  the  Lord,  and  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  fer- 
"  vant,  that  walketh  in  darknefs,  and  hadi  no  light  ?  let 
"  him  trull  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  Hay  himfclf 
''  upon  his  God."  It  will  help  us  to  enter  into  the  Ipirit 
and  meaning  of  the  prophet's  words,  if  we  keep  in  view 
the  (late  of  the  Jewilh  church,  hinted  at  a  little  while  ago. 
"  Who  is  among  you  ;"  that  is,  if  there  is  one  or  more — 
if  there  is  a  fmall  feled  number  in  the  midil  of  general 
corruption  and  depravity,  who  have  kept  their  garments 
unpolluted,  though  iniquity  abounds,  and  the  love  of 
many  waxeth  cold ;  ''  That  feareth  the  Lord  ?"  You 
know  it  is  common  in  fcripture  to  defcribe  religion  in 
general  by  (bme  particular  leading  branch  of  it.  The 
fear  of  God  is  often  made  ufe  of  for  this  purpofip,  as  in 
that  paffage,  there  (hall  be  no  want  to  them  \.h-^ifcar  b'nn. 
It  may,  tlicreforc,  fignify  thofe  who  have  a  fmcere  and 
unfeigned  regard  to  the  commandments  of  God,  and  have 
chofen  him  as  their  portion  and  hope.  Thofe  who  de- 
fire  and  deferve  to  be  difiinguiihed  from  the  profane  de- 
fpifcr — the  fecure  formalilt,  or  the  difguifed  hypocrite. 
Thofe,  in  a  word,  who  are,  and  Vv'ho  dehre  to  appear,  to 
ufe  the  (Irong  language  of  fcripture,  upon  the  Lord's  fide 
in  every  ilrugglc,  and  wI:o  refolve  with  Jo(l:ua,  tliat  what- 
ever others  do,  for  tiicir  part  they  will  fcrve  the  Lord. 

But  I  cannot  help  thinking,  we  may  alfo,  wiUi  great 
fafety,  explain  the  w  ords  in  a  clofer  and  ftricler  fenfe,  and 
fuppofe,  that  by  fearing  the  Lord  is  to  be  under  Hood  a 
due  reverence  for  his  inlinite  majelty,  a  humble  venera- 
tion for  his  (acred  authority.  This  is  a  moll  excellent 
fsnce  or  guard  to  the  confcience  in  an  evil  time,  and  a 
noble  prclervative  from  tlie  fpreading  infection  and  in- 
linuating  poifon  of  prevailing  or  falhionable  fins.  It  is 
alfo  the  ufual  charadtcr  of  a  diflblutc  age  to  have  cad  oft' 
£.*ar,  tp  treht  tl^c  moll  (acred  ihinss  with  (corn,  and  to 


322  Trust  in  Gad. 

look  upon  that  holy  folicitude  to  avoid  fin,  which  appears 
in  the  carriage  and  language  of  a  child  of  God,  as  a  mark 
of  meannefs  or  weaknefs  of  mind.  In  filch  an  age,  one 
who  fears  God  is  well  defcribed  by  the  prophet  Ifaiali. 
^  But  to  this  man  will  1  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and 
"  of  a  contrite  fpirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word." 

The  next  part  of  the  character  is,  '•'  and  obeyeth  the 
**  voice  of  his  fervant ;"  that  is  to  fay,  is  willing  to  heark- 
en to  the  meifage  of  God,  by  the  mouth  of  his  fervants. 
The  words  of  the  text,  no  doubt,  may  be  confidered  as 
primarily  referring  to  the  infpired  prophets,  who  bore  an 
immediate  commifTion,  miraculoufly  attciled  from  God. 
Many,  even  of  thefe,  were  kt  at  nought,  their  meffage  de- 
rided, and  their  perfons  infulted,  when  they  attempted  to 
ftemthe  tide  of  prevailing  vice,  or  boldly  denounced  the 
divine  vengeance  againft  high-handed  finners.  But  the 
fmcerely  pious  obeyed  their  voice.  I  fhall  make  no  fcru- 
ple  to  apply  this  to  ourfelves,  and  the  prefent  age.  Our 
bleffed  Redeemer  hath  eflablifhed  in  his  church  a  ftanding 
miniilry,  and  the  regular  adminillration  of  ordinances. 
And  though  we  have  this  treafure  in  earthen  vefleis,  yet 
in  no  other  way  doth  he  now  communicate  his  will,  and 
vouchfafe  his  prefence  to  his  people,  but  by  the  reading 
and  hearing  of  his  word,  and  attendance  upon  his  inftitu- 
ted  worfhip.  It  will,  no  doubt,  therefore,  be  a  part  of  the 
character  of  a  good  man,  that  he  will  love  the  ordinances, 
and  obey  the  voice  of  the  fervants  of  God,  that  he  will 
confider  him  who  hath  fent  them,  and  receive  inftruftion, 
not  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  it  is  in  deed  and  in  truth 
the  word  of  God. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  iniquity  prevails,  when  irre- 
ligion  and  profanenefs  lift  up  their  heads,  one  of  the  moll 
ufual  concomitants,  and  one  of  the  fureft  proofs  of  it  is,  a 
negleft  of  ordinances,  and  contempt  of  thofe  who  are  con- 
cerned in  their  adminillration  :  How  far  this  is  at  prefent 
the  cafe,  I  leave  to  yourfelves  to  judge.  While  I  fpeak 
this,  my  brethren,  I  do  by  no  means  defire  to  fee  an  igno- 
rant people  diflra6led  by  the  gloomy  terrors  of  fuperllition, 
or  led  blindfold  by  the  enchanted  cord  of  implicit  faith. 
But  fure  I  am,  there  is  an  extreme  on  either  h'and,  and  thcfe 


Trust  in  God.  3-25 

who  truly  fear  the  Lord,  will  honor  the  perfons,  and  obey 
the  voice  of  fuch  as  plead  his  caufe  and  fpeak  in  his 
name.  You  may  reft  allured,  that  though  they  neither 
xleferve  nor  claim  any  authority  on  their  own  account, 
yet  lb  long  as  they  Hand  in  the  divine  councils,  and  fpeak 
the  divine  word,  their  melTage  will  be  attended  with  this 
awful  fandtion,  "  He  that  defpifeth  you,  defpifeth  me,  and 
**  he  that  defpil'etli  me  defpifeth  him  that  fent  me." 

The  lail  part  of  the  character  here  drawn,  which  lays 
the  foundation  for  the  fubfequent  direction  is,  "  that 
"  walketh  in  darknefs  and  hath  no  light."  Darknefs  and 
light,  befides  their  literal,  have  often  a  metaphorical  fenfe 
in  fcripture.  They  are,  indeed,  ufed  with  a  good  deal  of 
latitude  and  variety.  But  I  think  their  metaphorical  fig- 
nification  may  be  reduced  to  thefe  two  general  heads. 

1.  Sometimes  light  fignifies  knowledge,  and  darknefs 
fignifies  ignorance — as  in  Eph.  v.  8.  "  Ye  are  fometimes 
"  darknefs,  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord,  walk  as 
"  children  of  light."  Ads  xxvi.  18.  "To  turn  them 
"  from  darknefs  unto  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
"  unto  God."  Job  xxxvii.  19.  "  Teach  us  what  we  fhall 
"  fay  unto  him,  for  we  cannot  order  our  fpeech  by  reafon 
"  of  darknefs." 

2.  Sometimes  darknefs  fignifies  diftrefs  or  trouble,  and 
the  correfpondent  fignification  of  light  is  deliverance  and 
joy,  as  2  Sam.  xxii.  28,  29.  "  And  the  afflicted  people 
*'  thou  wilt  fave,  but  thine  eyes  are  upon  the  haughty,  that 
*'  thou  mayell  bring  them  down,  for  thou  art  my  lamp, 
**  O  Lord,  and  the  Lord  will  lighten  my  darknefs." 
Job  xix.  8.  "  He  hath  fenced  up  my  way  that  I  cannot 
*'  pafs  ;  he  hath  put  darknefs  in  my  paths."  Pf.  xcvii. 
It.  "Light  is  fown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladncfs  for  the 
*'  upright  in  heart."  Efther  viii.  16.  "  And  the  Jews  had 
"  light,  and  gladnefs,  and  joy  and  honor." 

None  of  thefe  fenfes  is  to  be  excluded  in  the  paifagc  be- 
fore us.  Believers  may  walk  in  darknefs,  when  ignorant 
or  uncertain  as  to  what  nearly  concerns  them,  as  well  as 
under  diftrefs  and  trouble.  They  have  alfo  a  mutual  in- 
fluence upon,  produce,  and  are  produced  by  one  another. 
For  illuflrating  this  a  little  more  particularly,  obferve, 


;24 


Trust  In  God. 


that  a  good  man  may  walk  in  darknefs,  i.  When  he  is 
in  doubt  or  uncertainty  as  to  his  intereft  in  the  divine  fa- 
vor. 2.  When  he  is  under  the  preffure  of  outward  cala- 
mity. 3.  When  the  flate  of  the  church  is  fuch,  that  he 
cannot  underhand  or  explain,  in  a  fatisfying  manner,  the 
courie  of  divine  providence.  Thefe  particulars  I  have  it 
not  in  view  to  enlarge  much  upon,  but  only  to  explain 
them  fo  far  as  is  necefTary  to  lay  a  foundation  for  what 
ihall  he  afterwards  offered  on  the  duty  to  truiL  in  God. 

I.  Then,  a  good  man  may  walk  in  darknefs  when  he  is 
in  doubt  or  uncertainty  as  to  his  intereft  in  the  divine  fa- 
vor. I  ".pprehend  that  fome  meafure  of  hope  in  God's 
mercy  is  eilential  to  true  piety,  and  not  only  the  right,  but 
the  poiTeiTion  of  every  child  of  God.  Faith  and  defpair 
are  beyond  all  queilion  inconfiflent.  Faith  and  hope  are 
infeparable.  Yet  certainly  the  excellent  ones  of  the  earth 
may  be  fometlmes  involved  in  great  perplexity  and  doubt. 
This  is  plain  from  fcripture  examples,  from  daily  experi- 
ence, and  from  the  nature  and  reafon  of  the  thing.  How 
violent  a  flruggle  do  we  often  find  the  Pfalmift  David  in, 
between  hope  and  fear  ?  "  O  my  God,  my  foul  is  caft 
"  down  in  me ;  therefore  will  I  remember  thee  from  the 
*'•  land  of  Jordan,  and  of  the  Hermonites,  from  the  Kill 
*'  Mizar."  How  many  do  we  fee  every  day  under  a  fpirit 
of  bondage,  v,'ho,  though  ihey  ftill  cleave  to  God  as  their 
portion,  yet  are  often  full  of  fears,  and  feldom  dare  confi- 
dently affirm  their  intereft  in,  or  relation  to  him.  And 
indeed  how  can  it  be  otherwife  ?  While  we  are  here,  our 
fanftifi cation  is  but  imperfedt ;  and  alas  !  with  regard 
to  many.  It  is  often  hard  to  determine,  whether  we  fhould 
not  write  upon  it,  7ije?ie  tekel,  as  elTentially  defeftive. 

Sin  feparates  betv/een  God  and  his  people,  and  caufes 
him  to  hide  his  face  from  them.  Nay,  ibmetimes,  though 
there  be  no  particular,  or  provoking  crime  as  the  caufe  of 
his  controverfy  with  them,  he  may  withdraw  from  them 
the  light  of  his  countenance,  to  exerciie  their  vigilance,  or 
to  try  their  patience.  I  know,  my  brethren,  that  the  dif- 
trefs  of  ferious  fouls,  when  mourning  af' er  an  abfent  or  an 
angry  God,  crying  to  him  in  fecret,  and  following  hard 
After  hini  in  his  ordinances,  is  by  many  treated  with  the 


Tt-ust  in  God.  325 

highcfl:  degree  of  contempt.  But  furely,  if  i)eacc  of  mind 
iVom  a  well-fouiKied  hope  of  the  divine  favor,  is  the  great- 
eft  of  all  prefent  bleflings  :  and  if  this,  from  the  variablc- 
ncfs  of  our  own  conduct,  is  fomctimes  more,  fometimesltls 
Jtrong,  and  fomctimes  wholly  fulpended.  When  this  laft 
is  the  cafe,  it  mud  occufion  inexprellible  concern,  and 
there  can  be  no  greater  evidence  of  irrcligion  and  im- 
piety tiian  to  call  it  in  qucllion. 

2.  A  good  man  may  walk  in  darknefs  when  under  the 
prelTure  of  outward  calamity.  This,  in  a  real  believer, 
is  never  wholly  feparated  from  the  former.  Even  in  it- 
felf,  indeed,  no  affli<5tion  for  the  prel'ent  is  joyous  but 
grievous.  The  diforders  of  this  feeble  frame,  poverty 
and  llraitnefs  of  provifion,  unjuft  llander  and  reproach, 
muft  be  deeply  and  fenfibly  felt  by  every  good  man,  even 
as  he  is  a  man.  To  this  may  be  added,  the  lofs  of  rela- 
tions, and  concerns  for  the  lufTerings  of  others  of  every 
kind,  which  is  always  moft  diftrefling  to  the  befl:  and  ten- 
dered fpirits.  But  outward  calamities  by  thofe  tiiat  fear 
God,  are  felt  moll  fenfibly  when  they  are  confidered  as  thi; 
rod  of  his  anger,  and  bring  fin  to  remembrance. 

When  he  vifits  his  own  children  with  any  of  his  fore 
judgnients  ;  when  he  follows  diem  with  breach  upon 
breach,  they  are  ready  to  Hiy,  "  Surcb/  he  is  fettin?- 
"  me  up  as  a  mark  for  his  arrovv'S,  he  is  counting  me 
"  his  enemy." — They  are  often  at  a  lofs  to  underftand  the 
caufc  of  his  controverfy  with  them  ;  and  they  alfo  find  it 
often  extremely  difficult  to  bring  their  minds  to  a  patient 
and  fubmiiTu^c  refignation  to  his  holy  w  ill.  To  thofe  who 
know  their  duty,  and  defire  through  divine  grace  to  coui- 
ply  with  it,  it  is  no  fmall  difliculty  to  be  obliged  to  llrug- 
jde.  with  a  rifing  and  rebellious  heart  w  iihin,  as  well  21; 
fi.iiiering  from  without,  and  to  be  alternately  callin'-*  in 
queftion,  the  certainty  either  of  die  love  of  God  to  them. 


m. 


o;'  of  their  love  to  hi 

3.  A  good  man  may  fomctimes  walk  in  darknefs  from 
th:j  afpeJl  of  Providence,  and  the  ihitc  of  the  Redeenier's 
ki:i,;.lo:n.  The  works  of  God  ai'e  fought  out  of  them 
who  h::ve  p!.\ifure  in  th.em.  Bat  when  tlicy  are  not  able 
to  peaecrare  the  depths  of  the  divine  tcunfelsj  thl^  bc- 

VoL.  II.  2  S 


yiG  Trust  in  God. 

ccTics  Gftcn  a  foiirce  both  of  dillrefs  and  temptation, 
V/hen  wicked  men  are  fullered  to  profper  at  their  will 
' — when  the  good  are  opprelTed  by  the  power  and  tyranny, 
or  periecuted  by  the  malice  of  their "  enemies — when  the 
moll  generous  attempts  for  the  revival  of  truth  and  righ- 
tooufners  are  rendered  abortive — v/hen  the  profeffing  fer- 
vants  of  God  are  divided  into  parties,  or  marflialled  un- 
der names,  and  their  zeal  made  to  fpend  itfelf  in  unne- 
ccfiary,  finful  and  hurtful  contentions — v.-hen  ofiences 
come,  and  thofe  of  the  higheft  profelTicn  or  attainments 
are  fuffered  to  fall  into  grofs  crimes,  by  which  the  mouths 
oi  enemies  are  opened  to  blafpheme ;  then  may,  and 
ijiufl  we  adopt  the  Vvords  of  the  Pfalmift — Pf.  Ixxiii.  lo 
— 14.  "•  Therefore,  his  people  return  hither  ;  and  xva- 
"  ters  of  a  full  cup  are  wrung  out  unto  them  :  And  they 
"  fay,  how  doth  God  know  ?  and  is  there  knowledge  in 
"  the  moil  High  ?  Behold,  thefe  are  the  ungodly  who  prof- 
''  per  in  the  world ;  they  increafe  in  riches.  Verily,  I 
"  have  cleanfed  my  heart  in  vain,  and  waflied  my  hands 
"  in  innccency.  For  all  the  day  long  have  I  been 
"  plagued,  and  chauened  every  morning." 

I  proceed  now  to  the  second  and  chief  thing  propofed 
from  this  pafTage,  v.'hich  was  to  expla.in  the  duty  of  truft 
in  God,   and  to  point  out  its  foundation. 

Truft,  m  the  moft  general  view  we  can  take  of  it,  may 
be  thus  explained.  It  is  a  reliance  or  confidence  in  God, 
that  however  difcouraging  appearances  may  be  for  the  pre- 
fent  time,  yet,  by  his  power  and  wifdom,  our  defires  and 
expectation  fliall  t-jike  place,  whether  as  to  deliverance 
from  trouble,  or  the  obtaining  of  future  bleffings.  When 
we  can  attain  this  happy  frame  of  fpirit,  it  is  an  incon- 
ceivable relief  and  eafe  to  the  mind  under  fuffering,  and 
is  excellently  exprelTed  by  the  Pfalmift — Pf.  Iv.  22.  "  Caft 
"  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  ftiall  fufiain  thee,  he 
"  ihali  never  futler  the  righteous  to  be  moved."  Let  us 
then  endeavor  to  explain  the  grounds  of  tliis  as  diftinctly 
as  ponible.  And  God  grant  that  it  may  be  done  not  only 
in  a  clear,  but  in  a  folid  and  fatisfying  manner,  fo  as  t« 
allift  you  In  the  practice  of  real  and  vital  religion. 


Trust  In  God.  327 

I  liave  already  faid,  that  our  cxpe£latIon  is  from  the 
power  and  wifUoni  of  God.  May  we,  then,  rcafonably 
expert,  is  it  our  duty  to  bclicre,  that  we  Ihall  receive  u'i 
that  we  defirc,  and  that  is  within  tlie  reach  of  div'ijie 
power  and  wifdom  ?  Thcfe  have  no  bounds  at  all.  We 
know  that  notliing  is  too  hard  for  die  Ahnighty.  He  doth 
according  to  his  v/ill  in  the  armies  of  heaven  and  atiiong 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  This  fuggefis  to  us  that  there 
is  fomcthing  more  nccefi'aiy,  in  order  to  lay  a  proper  foun- 
dation for  truft,  viz.  his  goodnefs  to  make  our  expectation 
probable,  and  his  promife  to  make  it  ccrtiiin.  ]'A'en  crea- 
ted beings  can  often  do  wlu.t  tb.cy  will  not.  This  holds 
particularly  with  regard  to  C^od,  whofc  power  is  directed 
in  its  cxcrcife  by  iiis  goodnefs,  and  limited  by  his  wif- 
dom. His  goodnefs,  in  general,  encourages  us  to  go  to 
him  with  a  perad venture,  or  who  can  tell  whether  he  may 
not  be  gracious  ?  But  in  order  to  mal-:c  our  trull  both  dif- 
tlnCl  and  Rrong,  we  muft  go  to  his  promilc  ''  for  he  is 
"  faithful  and  keepeth  covenant  and  truth  for  ever."  Truft 
then,  my  brethren,  refis  ultimately  on  tiie  promife..  It 
muft  be  precifely  commenfurate,  or  of  the  fame  extent 
widi  the  promifes.  Vv'hoever  doubts  or  calls  in  qiiefiion 
the  certainty  of  wliat  God  hath  promifed,  is  chargeable 
with  dillrufl ;  and  whoever  experts  to  receive,  in  kind  or 
degree,  niore  than  he  has  promifed,  is  lb  far  guilty  of  pre- 
fumption.  This  is  the  general  rule,  and  I  think  it  car- 
ries fuch  evidence  with  it,  that  every  one  mult  be  ii^nli- 
b!e  it  is  juft,  v.ho  ha.th  heard  it  with  any  meafurc  of  at- 
tention. 

But  the  great  difficulty  yet  remains,  v.hich  is,  to  ap- 
ply this  rule  to  the  various  cares  that  occur  in  tiie  fpiritual 
life,  and  to  tell  anv  particular  perfon  what  it  is  his  duty 
firmly  to  believe,  and  hope  he  Ihall  receive  from  OoA^ 
and  what  it  would  be  prefumptuous  and  fimple  in  him  to 
lix  his  expectation  on.  This  is  plainly  of  the  greater  im- 
portance, that  the  more  particular  our  trufr  is,  as  lo  the 
objedt  of defire,  it  is  the  more  powerful  a  fupport  to  the 
mind.  At  the  fame  time  it  frequently  happens,  tiiat  the 
more  particularly  our  defires  are  formed,  the  foundation 
4>f  our  hope  appears  the  more  uncertain  iindqiicflipnablc. 


Tig  Tniot  in  God. 


o^^ 


On  th'j  account  you  mayobferve,  that  it  is  ofthegreateft 
moment  to  underftand  the  nature  and  tenor  of  the  promi- 
fcs  ;  or  rather,  indeed,  to  explain  the  foundation  of  truft, 
and  to  explain  the  nature  and  tenor  of  the  promifes  is  one 
and  the  fame  thing. 

For  this  end,  it  may  be  proper  to  diftinguifh  the  promi- 
fes of  God,  as  to  futurity,  into  two  heads,  abfolute  and 
conditional.  By  abfolute  promifes,  in  this  place,  I  un- 
deritand  only  thofe  that  are  fo  in  the  moft  unlimited  fenfe, 
that  is  to  fay,  revealed  as  a  part  of  the  fixed  plan  of  Pro- 
vidence, fufpended  on  no  terms  but  what  all,  of  every 
character,  may  expect  will  certainly  come  to  pafs.  Such 
are  the  promifes  after  the  flood,  that  fummer  and  winter, 
feed  time  andharvefi:  fliould  not  fail — the  coming  of  Chrift 
in  the  flefli  at  the  fulnefs  of  time,  to  the  ancient  Patriarchs, 
and  to  us — the  downfall  of  Antichrill — the  prefervation 
of  a  church  on  earth,  let  its  enemies  be  or  do  what  they 
will — the  calling  of  God's  ancient  people,  the  Jews,  and 
the  coming  of  Chrift  to  judge  the  v/orld  at  the  laft  day. 
Thefe  are  all  called  promifes  in  fcripture,  and  fo  far  as 
they  can  be  of  any  ufe  to  the  people  of  God,  either  for  di- 
rection in  duty,  or  reflraint  from  lin,  or  confolation  un- 
der trial,  they  are  to  be  depended  on,  in  the  moll  abfolute 
iiianner,  for  they  reft  upon  the  certainty  of  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures,  and  the  truth  of  the  unchangeable  God,  who  "  is 
*'  not  a  man  that  he  fho^ld  lie,  nor  the  fon  of  man  that  he 
"  fliould  repent." 


[     3^9     ] 


I  MM  ot«a  —ta  eo«  soflo  coo*  ooio  w«>  oooo  ooM  eooo  oo  vi  .woo  ct.x  o-o  tjco  cooo  e«eo  cooo  oaoo  «»  ocaa  c 
1 00*3  xoo  aM»  c-.-oo  orca  oooo  oooa  ^oo  oooa  :»<x>  vuo  c^^3  :o»  ccoa  xco  km  race  oooc  CMO  cou  ux,^  >mo  i 


TRUST    i>7    GOD. 
A 

SERMON 


Isaiah  1.  lo. 

^/bo  is  amonq  you  that  fcarcth  the  Lord,  that  oheyeth  the 
'voice  of  his  sevcant^  that  ivalketh  in  darlmcss,  and 
hath  no  light  ?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord^ 
and  stay  upon  his  God. 

HAVING,  in  a  formerdifcoune,  opened  the  charac- 
ter and  ftate  of  thofe  who  are  called  upon,  and  ex- 
horted to  trull  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  entered  upon 
the  fecond  thing  propofed  ;  which  was  to  explain  the  duty 
of  trull  in  God,  and  to  point  out  its  foundation ;  and  having 
in  this  view  confidered  the  nature  of  abfolute  promi- 
fes — I  proceed, 

2.  To  confider  the  nature  and  ufe  of  conditional  pro- 
mifes.  Thefe  I  am  obliged,  for  greater  diilindtnefs,  to 
divide  into  three  different  heads. — i.  There  are  promifes 
made  to  perfons  of  fucli  or  fucli  a  charafter,  or  in  fuch  or 
fucliallate. — 2.  There  are  promifes,  tlie  performance  of 
which  is  fufpended  on  our  compliance  with  fomcthing 
previoufly  required,  as  die  condition  of  obtaining  them. — 
3.  There  are  promifes,  not  only  fufpended  on  both  the 
preceding  terms,  but  upon  the  fuppolition  of  fome  cir- 
cumllances  in  themfelvcs  uncertain,  or  to  us  unknown. 
Let  us  conlidereach  oflhefc  with  care  and  attention. 


330  Trust  in  God. 

I.  There  are  promifes  made  to  perfons  of  fuch  or  fuch 
a  charafter,  or  in  fuch  or  fuch  a  ftate,  wliich  are,  there- 
fore, to  be  applied,  and  refted  on,  according  as  the  evi- 
dence of  our  being  of  this  charafter,  or  in  this  ftate,  is 
clear  or  obfcure.  In  this  I  have  particularly  in  view,  the 
bleffings  of  falvation,  the  pardon  offm,  peace  with  God, 
the  fpirit  of  fanftification,  and  a  right  to  everlafting  life. 
Thefe  all  lie  in  an  unbroken  chain,  and  infeparable  con- 
nexion, and  might  have  been  more  briefly  exprelTed,  by 
an  intercft  in  Chrifl:  the  Saviour,  v/ho  is  the  author,  fource 
and  fum  of  thefe  bleffings  ;  "  for  all  the  promifes  of  God 
"  in  him,  are  yea,  and  in  himam^en,  to  the  glory  of  God 
"  by  us."  Let  no  judicious  attentive  hearer  be  furprifed 
or  diflatisfied,  that  I  have  ranked  thefe  among  conditional 
promifes,  for  you  may  cbferve  that  I  have  exprelTed  my- 
felf  thus,  they  are  promifes  made  to  perfons  of  fuch  or  fuch 
a  chara6ler,  or  in  fiich  or  fuch  a  ftate.  In  this,  they  cer- 
tainly differ  from  the  promifes  properl}^  abfolute,  mention- 
ed above.  It  is  far  from  m'y  intention  to  do  injury  to  that 
fundamental  truth,  that  falvation  is  by  grace.  I  efteem 
that  doclrine  which  proceeds  upon  a  felf-righteous  fyftem, 
to  be  contrary  to  the  v/ord  of  God,  and  moft  pernicious  to 
the  fouls  of  men.  There  is  nothing  at  all  required  in 
fcripture  to  be  performed  by  us,  as  a  purchafmg  or  merit- 
ing condition.  Every  gracious  act  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment, in  our  favor,  is  the  fruit  of  the  Redeemer's  pur- 
chafe,  and  every  holy  difpofition  v/rought  in  us,  is  the  ef- 
fe£lof  his  almighty  grace.  But  it  is  certain  at  the  fame 
time,  that  in  order  to  our  accepting  thofe  bleffings,  \xq. 
muft  be  truly  and  deeply  humbled,  and  fee  ourfelves  to  be 
incapable  and  helplefs.  Vv''e  muft  be  unfeignedly  willing 
to  renounce  all  claim  of  merit,  and  accept  of  falvation  as 
it  is  offered  in  the  gofpel ;  that  is,  in  its  full  extent,  and. 
in  the  free  and  fovereign  manner  of  its  communication. 
So  far,  furely,  we  muft  fay,  the  promifes  of  the  gofpel  are 
conditional,  or  wholly  pervert  the  wprd  of  God.  I  know 
of  no  promifes  then  to  the  unbelieving  and  impenitent, 
unlefs  you  call  that  a  promife,  that  they  fliall  have  "their 
"  portion  in  the  lake  of  fire  that  burncth  with.brimftone  ; 
"  and  that  tlie  finoke  of  Llicir  torment  afcencleth  up  for  evev. 
"  and  ever." 


Trust  in  Go(h  33t 

Hear  it,  my  dear  brethren,  it  is  the  needy,  tliirfly,  fcnfi- 
We  foul  that  is  invited  to  come  and  iind  rell.  "  IIo  ! 
"  every  one  that  thirfteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters  ;  and  he 
"  that  hath  no  nioney  ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come 
'*  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price. 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
"  and  I  will  give  you  reft.''  If  any  fliall  think  fit  furlhcr  to 
lay,  that  the  very  deftination  of  the  vefibls  of  mercy,  is  of 
God's  fovereign  plcafure,  that  conviftion  itfelf  is  by  a  day 
of  his  power,  and  that  faith  which  interefts  us  in  Chrift's 
rightcoufnefs  is  his  gift :  I  agree  to  the  whole,  but  obferve 
that  it  is  improperly  introduced  here.  No  life  can  pofli- 
bly  be  made  of  the  divine  decree  in  the  application  of  the 
promifes.  It  is  inverting  the  order  things.  Can  any 
man  fay,  I  truft  in  the  mercy  of  God,  becaufe  I  have  been 
ordained  to  evcrlafting  life  ?  No  man  can  derive  comfort 
from  this,  till  by  his  edeti^ual  calling  it  is  publiflied,  and 
begins  to  be  accompliihed  ;  and  then  he  may  look  back 
with  wonder  and  gratitude  to  that  everlafting  love,  by 
which  he  was  chofen  in  Chriil,  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world.  Can  you  judge  of  the  fruit  of  a  tree  by  look- 
ing upon  the  root  ?  No,  but  you  judge  of  the  ftrength  and 
deepncfs  of  the  root,  by  the  fulnefs  of  the  fruit,  and  the 
vigor  and  verdure  of  the  branches.  From  an  improper 
mixture  of  what  belongs  to  the  fecret  will  of  God,  and 
what  belongs  to  us,  as  our  duty,  much  error  and  ccnfufion 
arifes. 

Now,  my  brethren,  as  to  the  application  of  thef«i  promi- 
fes of  pardon  and  peace,  the  humbled  finner,  the  man 
among  us  who  walketh  in  darknefs  and  hath  no  light — 
who  is  burdened  with  a  fenfc  of  guilt,  and  difcoura.red  by 
the  threateaings  of  the  law,  the  accufations  of  confclence, 
and  the  pure  and  holy  nature  of  God;  wlio  perhaps  hr.s 
all  this  aggravated  by  diltrefs  r.nd  trouble,  is  called  to  irul: 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  Hay  himfclf  upon  liis  Gcd. 
He  is  invited  to  coniider  and  reft  en  the  extent  of  the  rail, 
the  immutability  of  the  promife,  and  the  rich.cs  of  divine 
grace.  It  he  is  fo  far  from  pleading  any  merit  in  himfelf, 
or  being  dilfatisfied  with  the  plan  of  falvation laid  dov,:i  in 
ik-Q  Golpal,  that  he  is  making  every  thing  an  argument 


222  Trust  hi  God. 

againft  hlmfelf,  and  dare  not  lay  hold  of,  or  appropriate  fb 
unipeakable  a  rnercy  :  This  is  juft  the  effe6l  of  diftrufr, 
and  he  is  called,  in  the  ftrongell  manner,  in  the  text,  to 
''  truil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  flay  upon  his  God." 
With  how  many  gracious  aflurances  for  this  purpofe  is  the 
fcripture  filled.  John  vi.  37.  ''  All  that  the  Father  hath 
"  given  me  Ihall  come  to  me,  and  him  that  cometh  unto 
"  me  I  will  in  no  wife  cad  out."  Heb.  vii.  25.  "  Where- 
*'  fore  he  is  able  alfo  to  favs  them  to  the  uttermoll  that 
*'  come  to  God  by  him,  feeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
"  tercelTion  for  them."  Rev.  xxii.  17.  "  And  the  fpirit 
"  and  the  bride  fay,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth 
"  fay,  Come.  x\nd  let  him  that  is  athirll  come.  And 
'■'■  v.'hofocver  will,  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 
All  things,  Chrift  excepted,  are  to  be  renounced  to  the 
all  fufhclency  of  a  Redeemer,  to  be  the  foundation  of  our 
hope.  Tiie  penitent  will  fay  with  the  apoflle,  Phil.  iii.  8. 
"  Yea,  doubtlefs,  and  I  count  all  things  but  iofs  for  the  ex- 
"  cellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Chrift  Jefus  my  Lord  : 
"  for  whom  I  have  fufFered  the  Iofs  of  all  things,  and  do 
"  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Chriil,  and  be 
"  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteoufnefs  which 
"  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
^''  Chrift,  even  the  righteoufnefs  which  is  of  God  by  faith." 
2.  There  is  a  fecond  clafs  of  promifes,  the  performance 
of  which  is  fufpended  on  our  previous  compliance  v/ith 
fomething  required  as  the  condition  of  obtaining  them.  Li 
thefc  we  are  not  only  called  to  accept  of  the  divine  mercy, 
but  commanded  to  obey  the  divine  will.  The  order  in 
which  I  have  placed  thefe,  will,  I  hope,  prevent  you  from 
mifunderftanding  or  mifapplying  what  may  be  faid  on 
them.  Tills  clafs  includes  all  the  promifes  in  fcripture 
regarding  the  daily  progrefs  of  a  believer  in  his  fanclifica- 
tion  and  conformity  to  God,  as  v/ell  as  the  increafe  of  his 
coaifort  and  peace.  I  am  fenfible,  that  as  the  reconcilia- 
tion of  a  fmner  to  God,  and  his  right  to  v;hat  is  called  in 
fcripture  ibe  promise  0^  etetnpS  life,  is  of  free  and  unme- 
rited mercy,  fo,  iio  doubt,  all  the  inferior  or  fubordinate 
promifes  flow  from  the  fame  fource,  nay,  in  a  certain 
meafure,  they  arc  entirely  upon  the  fame  footing  witli 


Trust  in  God. 


333 


thofe  formerly  mentioned ;  that  is  to  fay,  final  perfeve- 
nmce,  real  growtii  in  the  fpiriiual  life,  and  necellliry  coin- 
Ibrt,  arc  the  hire  and  purchalcd  portion  of  every  one  that  is 
born  of  God.  Rom.  viii.  29.  "  For  whom  he  did  fore- 
*'  know,  he  alfo  did  predellinate  to  be  conformed  to  the 
"  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  tlie  firft-born  r.mong 
"  many  brethren."  But  in  the  diftribution  of  thole  gifts, 
particularly  in  their  meafure,  there  is  not  only  an  un- 
known regard  to  the  good  plcafure  of  God,  but  a  known 
and  elhiblilhed  regard  to  our  condu6t  in  duty.  Thus  the 
abundant  fupply  of  the  ipirit  is  the  fruit  and  return  of  di- 
ligence in  prayer.  Matt.  vii.  7.  "  Afk  and  it  fliall  be 
"  given  you,  feek  and  ye  fliall  find,  knock  and  it  fliall  be 
*'  opened  unto  you."  See  alfo  Ezckiel  xxxvi.  25.  com- 
pared with  the  37th.  "  Then  will  I  fprinkle  clean  water 
''  upon  you,  and  ye  fliall  be  clean  from  all  your  filthinefs; 
"  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanfe  you,"  8cc.  Thus 
"  faith  the  Lord,  yet  for  all  this  will  I  be 'inquired  of  by 
"  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  to  do  it  for  them."  Thus  alfo  inward 
confolation,  as  well  as  outward  fecurlty,  is  exprefsly  pro- 
mifcd  as  the  effect  and  reward  of  uniformity  and  diligence 
in  duty.  Ifa.  xxxii.  17.  "  And  the  work  of  righteoufnefs 
"  fhall'be  peace,  and  the  eftect  of  righteoufnefs  quietncfs 
*'  and  affurance  for  ever."  As  the  counterpart  and  illuf- 
tration  of  this,  you  fee,  that  a  departure  from  the  path  of 
duty  brings  on  the  threatened,  or  perhaps  I  ought  to  call  it 
the  promifed,  rod  of  corrcdVion.  Pf.  Ixxxix.  30 — 33. 
"  But  if  his  children  fliall  forfake  my  law,  and  not  walk 
*'  in  my  judgments  ;  if  dicy  break  my  flatutes,  and  keep 
"  not  my  commandments ;  then  will  I  vilit  tlieir  tranf- 
''  grellions  with  a  rod,  and  their  iniquities  with  flrijjes. 
*'  Neverthelefs,  my  loving-kindnefs  will  I  not  take  from 
*•  him,  nor  futfer  my  faithfulnefs  to  fail."  In  the  flime 
manner,  Ifa.  xl.  30,  31.  "  Even  the  youths  fliall  faint  and 
'^  be  weary,  and  the  young  men  fhall  utterly  fall :  But 
*•  they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  lliall  renew  their  flrength; 
"  they  (liall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles ;  they  fhall 
*'  run  and  not  be  weary— they  fliall  walk  and  not  faint." 
Agreeably  to  all  this,  you  know,  ourblefled  Lord  prcfcri- 
bed  watchfulnefs  and  prayer  as  the  great  nrefervativcs 
Vol.  II.  a  T 


33-}-  Trust  in  God. 

an;ai:irt  tc-.Tiptation,  end  whoever  expefts  either  fpirituai 
llrength  or  comfort,  while  he  relaxes  his  dihgence  in  the 
way  of  duty,  is  guilty  of  that  fin,  which  is  called  in  fcrip- 
tiire,  tempting  God  ;  and  fliall  afTuredly  meet  with  a 
dread  fu  1  diia  ppointm  ent. 

My  brethren,  as  much  of  the  daily  exercife  of  real  be- 
lievers regards  their  progrefs  in  fanctifi cation,  and  their 
peace  and  comfort,  it  is  proper  that  you  fliould  carefully 
attend  to  the  tenor  of  thefe  promifes,  and  to  what  ought 
to  be  your  reliance  upon  them.  I  fhall  fum  up,  in  a  few 
particulars,  what  I  apprehend  to  be  of  moft  importance. 

1.  Truft  in  thefe  promifes  implies  felf-denial,  and  a 
deep  fcnfe  of  your  own  weaknels.  Thefe  promifes  would 
be  unneceilary  and  fupertiuous  were  we  not  infufficient  of 
ourfelves  for  any  thing  that  is  good.  Trull  in  God  ftands 
direftly  oppofed  to  all  felf-dependance.  Prov.  iii.  5. 
*■'  Trull  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart,  and  lean  not  to 
"  thine  own  uuderftanding.  Hov/  jealous  God  is,  if  I 
may  fpeak  fo,  of  the  honor  that  is  due  to  him  in  this  re- 
fpecl:,  may  be  feen  from  the  many  foul  and  fhameful 
crimes  into  which  he  permitted  fome  of  his  bell  faints  to 
fall,  when  they  were  ofF  their  guard,  by  floth,  or  ftill  more 
provoked  him  by  pride  and  prefumption.  Noah's  drunk- 
cnnefs,  Mofes's  paffion,  David's  adultery  and  murder, 
and  Peter's  denial  of  his  mailer,  i  Cor.  x.  11,  12. 
*'  Now  all  thefe  things  happened  unto  them  for  enfamples, 
*'  and  they  are  v/ritten  for  our  admonition,' upon  v/hom  the 
"  ends  of  the  world  are  come.  Wherefore,  let  him  that 
'•  thinketh  he  fuandeth,  take  heed  left  he  fall."  For  this 
reafon  the  apoflle  Paul  fays  with  great  propriety,  and 
with  great  force,  vvhich  is  equally  applicable  to  himfelf 
and  other  believers,  a  feeming  paradox,  i  Cor.  xii.  10. 
"  For  when  I  am  weak,  then  I  am  llrong." 

2.  As  we  are  to  put  no  truft  in  ourfelves,  fo  we  are  to 
exercife  the  moil  unihaken  confidence  of  our  being  able 
to  diicharge  any  duty  or  undergo  any  trial  by  the  help  of 
the  Almighty. — Oh !  how  ready  are  we  to  iin  on  both 
hands  ?  How  often  do  we  prelume  upon  our  own  ilrength 
and  forget  the  neccflity  of  applying  for  divine  aid  ? — And 
on  the  other  hand,  how  prone  are  we  to  timidity  cr  defpon- 


Trust  .7/  LOi  .  -35 

dencc  in  dlflicult  cafes?  Wlicn  corruptions  have  long 
kept  tlicir  ground,  we  are  ready  to  dread  their  influence, 
and  to  make  but  htlle  out  of  the  promifcs  in  fcripturc, 
that  we  llmll  be  made  "  more  than  conquerors  tlirouf^h 
"  him  that  loved  us."  We  have  learned,  by  fad  expe- 
rience, that  in  us  dwellcth  no  good  thing,  and  yet  it  is 
long  before  we  will  attend  to  the  leflon  that  follov.  s  hard 
upon  it,  "  My  grace  is  fufTicicnt  for  thee,  and  my  firengdi 
*'  fhall  be  made  perfc6l  in  v/caknefs." 

3.  As  thefe  promifes  are  exprefsly  made  to  the  diligent, 
you  mufl:  ilill  remember  that  3'our  own  attention  and  ap- 

.  plication  to  duty  is  effcntlally  necefiary,  and  that  the  a!- 
jiftance  promifed  from  on  high,  is  ahvays  reprefentcd  in 
fcripture  as  an  argument  and  encouragement  to  diligence, 
and  not  a  warrant  or  excufc  for  floth.  Philip,  ii.  12. 
*'  Work  out  yourown  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  for 
"  it  is  God  that  worketli  in  vcu  both  to  Vvill  and  to  do  of 
*'  his  good  pleafurc."  It  is  alfo  well  v/orthy  oi  notice, 
that  the  fame  prophet  Ezekiel,  who  fays,  chap,  xxxvi- 
26.  "  A  new  heart  alfo  will  I  give  }0U,  and  a  new 
"  fpirit  will  I  put  within  you,"  changes  tlie  form  of  his 
exprefllon ;  and  in  another  place,  chap,  xviii.  31,  32. 
fpcaks  in  the  following  terms  ;  "•  Caft  away  from  you  idl 
"  your  tranfgrelTions  wliercby  ye  have  tranigrefi'ed ;  aiid 
*■'  make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  ipirit ;  for  uliy  will 
"  ye  die,  O  houfe  of  Ifrael  ?  For  I  have  no  plcafure  in 
*^  the  death  of  him  that  dleth,  faith  the  Lord  God  ;  wliere- 
'■'•  fore  turn  yourfjlves,  and  live  ye."  In  confequence  oi 
tliis, 

4.  In  tiie  lafl  place,  trufl  in  God  will  make  r.s  ready 
to  aci:nowledge,  tliat  when  \re  ilill  in  duty,  when  we  for- 
get or  break  our  refolutions,  tlie  fault  is  certainly  in  our- 
fclves.  It  is  impoilibic  to  excufc  or  jufllfy  ourfclves  in 
any  degree,  without  laying  the  blame,  in  the  fan»c  pro- 
portion, upon  God,  and  calling  in  quefiion  iiis  faithful- 
nefs  and  iruth.  ik:t  whatever  our  j;reaciieroiiG  hearts 
may  Hnfully  fugrell,  we  are  not  Ivraitencd  in  Gcd,  but 
flraitcned  in  our  own  bov,  els.  We  {ivA  him  pls-ading  his 
own  caufj,  in  this  rcfpcct,  in  many  paii'a^CG  cf  fcripturCy. 
Ifa.  li::.  i.  "  Bchohl,  the  Lord's  hand  Ts  not  HiortcnLu, 


33^  Trust  in  God, 

"  that  it  cannot  fave  ;  neither  his  ear  heavy,  that  he  can- 
*'  not  hear  ;  but  your  fins  have  feparated  between  you  and 
"  your  God,  and  your  iniquities  have  hid  his  face  from 
*'  you,  that  he  will  not  hear."  Upon  the  whole,  truft  in 
thefe  promifes  is  no  other  than  an  humble  and  diligent 
application  to  duty,  under  a  deep  fenfe  of  weaknefs,  and 
dependance  on  promifed  ftrength,  accompanied  with  a 
firm  periuafion,  that  "  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  we  fhall 
"  tread  down  our  enemies,"  and  go  on  from  ftrength  to 
ftrength,  "  till  we  appear  before  God  in  Zion." 

3.  Another  clafs  of  promifes  are  thofe  that  are  fuf- 
pended,  not  only  on  the  fame  conditions  with  the  two 
former,  but  upon  fome  other  circumftances  in  themfelves 
uncertain,  or  to  us  unfeen.  Thefe  are  temporal  mercies 
or  rather  temporal  profperity,  deliverance  from  prefent 
diftrefs,  and  abundance  or  affluence  of  outward  enjoy- 
ments. Perhaps  we  may  alfo  add  fpiritual  confolation, 
and  fenfible  joy  in  God.  I  find  no  temporal  promife 
precifely  fixed  to  the  fervant  of  God  but  this:  "  Bread 
*'  iliall  be  given  him,  and  his  water  fliall  be  fure  ;"  and  it 
is  certainly  his  duty,  in  the  moft  ftraitening  circumftan- 
ces, to  maintain  a  confident  dependance  on  the  power  and 
wifdom  of  Providence  for  neceflary  fupply.  I  do  not  con- 
demn thofe,  who,  when  reduced  to  extremity,  have  actually 
pleaded  this  divine  promife,  and  againft  hope,  have  be- 
lieved  in  hope  ;  and  I  am  perfuaded,  inftances  have  not 
been  wanting  of  relief,  furniflied  in  a  manner  next  to 
miraculous.  But  as  to  every  other  degree  of  temporal 
profperity,  God  hath  referved  it  in  his  own  hand  to  give 
or  with-hold  it  at  his  pleafure,  that  is,  as  he  fees  it  will  be 
moft  for  his  glory,  and  the  benefit  of  his  people.  It  is 
lawful  then,  my  brethren,  for  you  to  endeavor  to  procure, 
by  honeft  induftry,  the  increafe  of  your  fubftance,  to  look 
v/ell  to  the  ftate  of  your  flocks  and  your  herds,  and  to  aflc 
by  prayer  the  blefling  of  God  upon  your  labors.  It  is 
lawful,  and  it  is  your  duty  by  regularity  and  care,  to  pre- 
ferve  life  and  health,  as  well  as  to  aflv  of  the  Father  of  your 
fpirits,  recovery  from  ficknefs,  or  deliverance  from  any 
other  kind  of  dilh-efs.  But  you  are  not  warranted  to  be- 
lieve that  thefe  petitions  fhall  be  granted  in  Jiand,  or  in 


Trust  in  God.  337 

your  own  time  and  meafure,  even  though  you  aflc  them  iu 
lincerity  with  the  prayer  of  faith.  There  may  be  rcafons 
for  with-holding  them,  and  yet  you  may  be  accepted  in 
your  prayers.  An  infinitely  wile  God  knows  bell  what 
is  for  your  good,  and  he  only  hath  a  right  to  determine 
in  what  part  of  his  own  fervice ;  where  and  how  long  he 
fhall  employ  you.  Trull  in  God,  therefore,  in  tiiis  re- 
ipedl:,  implies  a  careful  attention  to  the  tenor  of  the  pro- 
mifes  with  regard  to  temporal  mercies,  and  not  to  look  for, 
or  even,  if  polTible,  defire  what  he  hath  not  promifed  to 
bellow. 

If  I  am  not  miflaken,  we  fliall  find  it  of  moment,  upon 
this  fubje6t,  to  obferve,  both  what  he  hath  not  and  what 
he  hath  certainly  promifed.     He  has  no  where  promifed 
that  his  own  people  lliall  be  the  richefl  or  the  greatell  on 
earth  ;  but  he  hath  certainly  promifed  to  blefs  their  pro- 
vifion,  and  alTurded  them  that  a  liule  that  ajuil  manhath, 
fhall  be  better  than  the  riches  of  many  wicked.     He  has 
not  promifed  that  they  lliall  be  free  from  fullering  ;  but 
he  hath  certainly   promifed  to  fupport  them  by  his  own 
prefence  under  tlieir  diftrefs.     Ifa.  xliii.  2.  ''  When  thou 
*'  paflell   through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and 
*'  through  the  rivers,  they  fliall  not  overflow  thee  ;   when 
"  thou  walkell  through  the  fire  thou  flialt  not  be  burnt ; 
''  neither  fliall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."     The  truth 
is,  he  hath  promifed  that  "  all  things  fliall  work  together 
"  for  their  good."     In  one  word,  they  have  indeed  all 
mercies  promifed,  only  they  themieh  es  are  not  in  a  con- 
dition, at  prefent,  to  judge  what  they  may  ufe  with  lafety, 
and  what  not.     As  the  heir  of  an  opulent  eftate,  though  he 
is  proprietor  of  all,  yet  is  laid  under  reflraint  while  in  in- 
fancy and  nonage,  becaufe  he  would  foon  ruin  himfclf  if 
it  were  committed  to  his  own  management ;  fo  the  be- 
liever, though  an  heir  of  God,  and  joint  heir  with  Chrill, 
yet  till  he  is  meet  for  the  inheritance,  he  mull  be  at  his 
Maker's  and  Redeemer's  difpofal.     Take  in,  therefore, 
only  this  limitation,  and  then  fee  his  extcnlive  charter. 
I  Cor.  iii.  21.  "  For  all  things  arc  yours;   whether  Paul, 
*'  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or 
"  things  prefent,  or  things  to  come ;  all  are  yours ;  and 


33^  Trust  in  God. 

*'  ye  are  Chriil's ;  and  Chrift  is  God's."  What  then  is 
the  duty  of  a  child  of  God  ?  It  is  to  breathe  after  more  and 
more  fubmiffion  to  the  divine  will,  and  to  annex  this  rc- 
fervation  to  every  petition  of  a  temporal  nature,  neverthe- 
lefs,  not  my  wiij  but  thine  be  done.  And  oh  !  my  bre- 
thren, how  happy  the  perfon  who  hath  feen  the  weaknefs 
of  human  judgment;  who  waits  the  intimation  of  God's 
will,  before  he  will  fuffer  his  defires  to  fallen  with  eager- 
nefs  on  any  earthly  comfort,  and  who  endeavors  to  keep 
himfelf  free  from  perplexity,  by  an  humble  and  fubmiflive 
reliance  on  the  all-fuiliciency  of  God  ! 

I  obferved  in  entering  on  this  part  of  the  fubjed,  that 
fpiritual  confolation,  or  fenfible  joy  in  God,  is  to  be  con- 
fidered  as  a  promife  of  the  fame  clafs,  which  mufl,  there- 
fore, be  alked  with  fubmifnon,  and  is  difpenfed  according 
to  the  good  pieafure  of  a  gracious  but  fovereign  God.  I 
am  fenfible,  as  has  been  formerly  obferved,  with  another 
xnew,  that  fome  degree  of  comfort  neceflarily  follows  from 
a  believer's  relation  to  God,  but  many  pious  perfons  feem 
to  defire  and  to  expeft  fenfible  comfort  in  a  higher  mea- 
fure  than  God  fees  it  meet  to  give  them,  or,  than  is  pro- 
per for  them  in  the  prefent  ftate.  It  is  with  fpiritual  prof- 
perity  as  with  temporal,  every  one  cannot  bear  it.  There- 
fore, it  is  our  duty  ftill  to  be  fenfible  that  we  have  much 
more  comfort  and  peace  than  Vv^e  deferve,  and  as  vv'e  defire 
and  ftrive  for  greater  degrees  of  it,  to  accompany  thefe  de- 
fires  with  much  humility  and  refignation  to  the  will  of 
God. 

I  proceed  nov.'  to  the  laft  thing  propofed,  which  was  to 
make  a  practical  application  of  this  fubjeft  for  your  in- 
ftruftion  and  direction. 

I.  From  what  has  been  faid,  you  may  fee  what  judg- 
ment you  ought  to  form  of  inv/ard  fuggellions,  and  Itrong 
or  particular  iir.prelTions  upon  your  mirds.  There  are 
fome  extremely  prone  to  interpret  a  text  of  fcripturc,  fud- 
denly  fuggeded  to  their  minds,  or  any  flrong  imprefiion 
made  on  them,  as  an  immediate  mefiage  from  God,  to  be 
direclly  applied  to  themfelves :  Others,  in  oppofition  to 
this,  as  enthufiaftical  and  vifionary,  feem  to  give  up  eve- 
ry expeclat'on  of  h-i'mg  able  to  fay  with  the  PfalmiO:, 


Trust  in  God.  339 

*'  I  bids  the  Lord  who  hath  given  me  counfcl,  my  reins 
"  alfo  inflrua;  me  in  the  night  feafon."  I  beg,  therefore, 
tliat  you  may  obierve,  that  the  riiggei'lion  of  a  pallage  of 
fcripture,  of  itfelf  gives  no  title  to  the  immediate  appli- 
cation of  it,  becaufe  the  great  deceiver  may  undoubtedly 
fugged  fcripture,  as  vvc  find  he  could  rcafon  from  it  in  our 
Saviour's  temptation.  We  arc,  in  every  futh  caie,  to 
conlider  the  tenor  of  it,  if  it  be  a  promiie  or  encourage- 
ment, that  is,  how  and  in  what  mhnncr  it  may  be  fafely 
applied.  If  any  thing  happens  to  be  fuggelled  that  e::- 
prefsly  fuits  our  prefent  condition,  either  by  fetting  home 
die  obligation  of  duty,  with  particular  evidence  upon  the 
confcience,  or  pointing  out  the  grounds  of  comibrt,  it 
ought  to  be  thankfully  acknowledged  as  from  the  fpirit  of 
God.  For  example,  if  a  pcrfon,  under  the  power  of  a 
fpirit  of  bondage,  and  fear  of  divine  wrath,  hath  fuggeiled 
to  him  any  of  the  extenfive  gracious  alfurances  of  mercy 
to  the  cliief  of  fmners,  it  is  his  duty  to  lay  hold  of  it.  It 
is  diredly  fuited  to  his  condition,  and  would  be  the  very 
thing  that  a  wife  and  judicious  paflor  would  recommend 
to  him  for  his  relief.  He  may  therefore,  without  hefita- 
tion,  blefs  God  for  it,  if  it  is  brought  with  power  and  ef- 
ficacy upon  his  heart.  In  the  fame  manner,  if  a  perfon 
under  trouble  hadi  fuggeiled  to  him  any  of  die  promifes  of 
fupport  under  it,  furely  he  ought,  in  the  difcharge  of  his 
duty,  firmly  to  rely  on  the  accompliflimcnt  of  that  part  of 
the  word  of  God.  But  in  the  reflex  examination  of  a 
perfon's  character  or  Hate,  to  apply  the  fudden  fuggclllcn 
of  a  promife  or  privilege,  perhaps  of  a  conditional  nature, 
is  certainly  boUi  linful  and  dangerous.  Sinful,  becaufe 
without  v/arrant ;  and  dangerous,  becaufe  leading  to  de- 
lufion. 

2.  From  what  hath  been  laid,  you  may  fee  v.hat  it  is 
that  we  ought  to  feek  for,  with  die  greatell  earnellnels, 
and  may  hope  to  obtain,  widi  the  greatcil  confidence. 
RccoUett,  I  befeech  you,  the  order  in  w hich  I  ha\e  men- 
tioned the  promifes  of  God  as  the  objeds  of  trull  and  re- 
liance. Firfi:  of  all  the  promifes  of  falvation,  deliverance 
from  the  guilt  wf  fui,  and  a  right  to  evcilalling  life  ;  next 


34<5  Trust  in  God, 

whatever  is  neceffary  to  the  prefervatlon  and  improvement 
of  the  fpiritual  life ;  and  then  in  the  third  place,  proper 
accommodation,  and  fuitableprovifion  in  our  paffage  through 
the  prefent  world.  They  are  here  ranked  according  to 
their  value  in  themfelves,  and  the  value  which  we  fhould 
put  upon  them.  Let  us,  therefore,  take  care  that  we  ne- 
ver violate  this  order,  which  is  neceffary,  not  only  be- 
caufe  of  their  comparative  value,  but  becaufe  of  their  mu- 
tual influence  one  upon  another.  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to 
expedl  to  attain  to  the  habit  or  practice  of  holinefs,  till  we 
are  united  to  God  by  faith  in  jefus  Chrift.  All  the  pro- 
mifes  of  the  gofpel  are  ratified  in  him.  All  the  divine 
fulnefs  is  treafured  up  in  him.  Every  divine  gift  is  dif- 
penfed  by  him.  Therefore,  he  fays  John  xv.  4.  "  Abide 
**•  in  me,  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of 
*'  itfelf,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine ;  no  more  can  ye, 
*'  except  ye  abide  me."  And  the  apollle  Paul,  Gal.  ii. 
20,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Chrifl ;  neverthelefs  I  live  ; 
*'  yet  not  I,  but  Chrifl  liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life  which  I 
*'  now  live  in  the  flefh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
*'  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himfelf  for  me." 

In  the  fame  manner  nothing  can  be  more  prepofterous, 
tlian  to  fix  our  afFeciions  upon  temporal  mercies,  or  our 
attention  upon  the  promifes  that  relate  to  them,  fo  as  to 
lofe  viev/  of  our  intereft  in  God's  favor,  and  the  progrefs  of 
our  fanclification.  All  the  temporal  promifes  in  fcripture 
are  made  to  the  children  of  God  as  fuch,  and  for  carrying 
on  the  purpofes  of  his  grace  in  them. — Your  heavenly 
Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  thefe  things.  There 
is  no  promife  in  the  whole  volume  of  infpiration  to  the 
wicked  and  impenitent.  "  There  is  no  peace,  faith  my 
"  God,  to  the  wicked."  He  will  either  rebuke  them  in 
his  wrath  and  chaflen  them  in  his  hot  difpleafure,  or  give 
them  up  to  a  curfed,  hardening,  fiupifying  profperity, 
than  which,  no  fiate  on  earth  is  more  to  be  dreaded. — 
Chriflian  !  never  fulfer  an  anxiety  about  your  outward 
Hate  to  fupplant  or  go  before,  or  even  to  be  feparated  from 
a  concern,  that  you  may  not  be  found  wanting  when 
weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  fan^tuary. 


Trust  in  God,  ^41 

3.  Let  me  befeech  you  to  adore  the  vvlfdom,  juflice  and 
mercy  of  God,  indie  order  he  hathellabliflicd,  accordinjr 
to  the  different  nature  of  the  promifes.  That  which  is  of 
moft,  nay,  properly  fpcaking,  of  unfpcakable  value,  and 
radically  contains  all  the  rell:,  is  placed  firit  in  order,  and 
offered  in  the  mofl:  free  and  gracious  manner,  without 
money  and  without  price.  Salvation  is  preachedto  the  chief 
offmners,  and  a  Saviour  held  forth  as  able  to  fave  to  the 
uttermoft  all  that  come  to  God  by  him.  Many  ufes  might 
be  made  of  this,  but  the  fingle  ufe  I  intend  to  make  of  it, 
at  prefent,  as  connected  with  the  duty  of  trufl,  is  to  filcnce 
the  complaints  ofenvy  and  impatience.  How  prone  are  many 
to  look  with  an  evil  eye  upon  the  moreextenfive  polfeflions 
and  greater  apparent  outward  comfort  which  others  enjoy? 
Does  it  not  alloniih  you  to  think  how  much  unbelief  and 
ingratitude  there  is  in  thofe  repining  tlioughts  ?  Meannefs 
of  rank,  and  poverty  of  Hate,  are  no  hinderance  at  all  to  an 
intereft  in  Chrift,  and  a  right  to  everlafting  life.  Nay, 
the  gofpel  is  preached  to  the  poor. — Many  a  Lazarus  has 
been  carried  by  the  angels  to  Abraham's  bofom,  while  the 
rich  and  luxurious  have  lifted  up  their  eyes  in  torments. 
Will  you,  can  you,  dare  you  then  complain  ?  AV'ill  you 
envy  the  man  of  the  world,  his  ftately  palace — his  elegant 
furniture,  and  his  fumptuous  fare  ?  What  is  the  amplefl 
portion  in  the  prefent  life  compared  with  the  fure  mercies 
of  David  ?  What  child  of  God  would  exchange  with 
any  wicked  man  a  prifon  for  a  palace,  or  a  Icaffold  for  a 
throne  ? 

I  befeech  you  to  add  to  all  this,  that,  even  with  regard 
to  prefent  peace  or  comfort,  there  is  no  comparifon  be- 
tween a  good  man  and  a  bad.  "A  man's  life  doth  not 
*'  confill  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  poifefles." 
This  is  a  truth  not  only  often  repeated  in  the  facred  ora- 
cles, but  written  in  the  clearell  and  moH:  legible  charac- 
ters in  the  hiftory  of  Providence. — Nay,  even  indepen- 
dently of  virtue  or  religion  itfelf,  every  human  calamity, 
whether  arifmg  from  fickncfs,  reproach,  contention,  fear, 
or  unirratified  defire,  rag^es  ^v^ith  (greater  violence  in  the 
higlier,  than  in  the  lower  iiations  of  life.  A  vain  and 
conceited  monarch  once  fent  to  alk  at  aii  heathen  oracle, 
Vol.  If.  2  U 


342  Trust  in  God. 

vvlio  was  the  happleil  man  on  earth  ?  and  met  with  a  de- 
ferved  difappointment  in  the  reply.     If  we   fhould  put  a 
qiieilion  much  more  proiitable  as  well  as  much  more  eafily 
refdved,  in  what  rank  of  life  the  moft  exquifite  human 
mllery  has  been  found  ?  I  have  no  doubt  but  it  ought  to 
be  anfwered  upon  a  throne.     Experience  will  always  ra- 
tify the  wife  man's  obfervation  :     Better  is  a  dinner  of 
herbs  ivhere  lo^cs  is^  than  a  stalled  ox  a?id  hatred  there- 
ivith.     Afandtified  lot  is  an  ineftimable  treafure.     The 
bjeffing  of  God  on  a  cruife  of  oil,  and   a   pot  of  meal,   is 
better  than  inexhauftible  mines  of  gold  and  filver.     What 
caufe  of  contentment  and  patience  to  the   child  of  God  ! 
In  the  lall  place,  you  may  learn  from  what  has  been 
faid  on  the  fubjeft,  what  is  the  plaineft,  the  fliorteft,  and 
indeed  the  only  fure  way  to  deliverance  from  diftrefs  or 
calamity  of  whatever  kind.     It  is  to  fly  to  the  mercy  of 
God  through  the  blood  of  Chrifl,  to  renew  the  exercifes  of 
faith  in  him,  and,  in  proportion  as  it  pleafes  God  to  fill 
you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing;  you  will  perceive 
every  other  covenant-bleffing  flow  clear  and  unmixed  from 
this  inexhaufted  fource.  It  will  lead  to  repentance,  humili- 
ation  and  fubmiffion.  The  fandified  ufe  of  the  aiiiiftionwill 
be  obtained,  and  this  brings  deliverance  of  itfelf ;  for  no 
rod  will  be  continued  longer,  than  it  hath  anfwered   its 
end.     At  any  rate,  when  fuifcring  is  neceflary,  grace,  to 
fulTer  v/ith  patience,  fliall  not  be  withheld.     Would  you 
have  any  more,  and  is  not  this  remedy  alv^^ays  at  hand  ? 
Can  the  pooreft  man  fay  it  is  not  within  the  reach  of  his 
purfe  ?     It  is,   at  once,  eiteftual  and  univerfal.     It  was 
once  faid  in  conlempt  of  a  worthy  and  pious  minifier,  that 
1  e  made  fo  much  of  the  blood  of  Chrift,  that  he  would 
apply  it  even  to  a  broken  bone.     But  bating  what  may 
be  thought  indecent  in  the  expreflion,  chofen  on  purpofe 
to  bring  a  orood  man  into  ridicule,  the  thing  itfelf,  I  make 
bold  to  affirm,  is  a  great  and  a  precious  truth.     Faith  in 
the  blood  of  Chrili  makes  a  man  fuperior  to  all  fufierings. 
It  foftens  their  afpetl — it  abates  their  fe verity — nay,  it 
cha,nges  their  nature.     AVhen  a  man  is  under  diftrefs  or 
calamity  of  any  kind,  and  confiders  it  only  in  itfelf,  and 
independently  of  his  relation  to  God,  it  retains  its  old- 


Tnist  in  Cod.  545 

nature,  and  tafles  with  all  the  bitternefs  of  the  original 
curie  ;  but  when  it  is  conlldered  as  liuiited  in  its  nature — 
Its  mcafure,  and  its  continuance  by  a  kind  Saviour, 
the  believer  llibmits  to  it  with  patience,  as  a  part  of 
his  Creator's  will  ;  bears  it  with  patience  in  his  Re- 
deemer's ilrength,  and  fometimes  is  enabled  to  embrace 
it  with  pleallire,  as  ferving  to  cany  him  to  his  Father's 
prefence.  Is  this  going  too  far  ?  No,  my  dear  brethren  ; 
tliere  arc  great  realities  to  which  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
experience  of  his  faints,  bear  united  evidence.  Many 
here  prefent,  I  doubt  not,  have  been  witnefs  of  this  truth, 
in  the  carriage  of  their  relations  now  with  God ;  and  not 
a  few,  I  truli,  will  repeat  the  teilimony  to  fueceeding  ages. 
I  conclude  all  with  that  animated  pafiage  of  the  apoftle 
Paul — 2  Cor.  iv.  16,  17.  ''  For  which  caufe  we  faint  not; 
*'  but  though  our  outv\'ard  man  perifli,  yet  the  inward  man 
"  is  renewed  day  by  day.  For  our  light  afHiclion,  which 
"  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeds 
"  ing  and  eternal  weight  of  glory,'* 


[     345     ] 


I  «0M  «•••  M°*  """  ■*°°  °°^  ^'°°'  """'  ""*  '"^  ""^  ""^  '""^  '°°''  "^  "^  *°^  *"*  ""^  **"  **"'  ""^  "°-  < 
I  OOOO  nOS  OM*  000*  MCO  0000  COOO  COM  OOO*  0003  0000  SOOO  OOO*  tOOO  OOOQ  OOOO  (OK  cr  W  0000  0000  M03  vxa  00O3  ( 


On  the  purity  of  the  HEART. 


SERMON. 


Proverbs  xxx.  7,  8,  9. 

Tivo  things  have  I  required  of  thee ^  deny  me  them  not  be- 
fore I  die :  remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies  ;  give 
me  neither  poverty  nor  riches  ;  feed  me  with  food  con- 
Vienient  for  me^  lest  I  bcfidl  a?id  deny  thee^  and  say^ 
who  is  the  Lord  F  or  lest  I  be  poor  a7-id  steal,  and  take 
the  name  of  my  God  in  vain. — 

My  Brethren, 

OUR  dependent  condition  as  creatures,  and  much 
more  our  dangerous  condition  as  fmners,  expofed 
to  daily  temptation,  renders  prayer  a  duty  of  the  moft 
abfolute  necefllty.  You  mull:  all  be  fenfible,  how  frequent 
and  prefTing  the  exhortations  to  it  are  in  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures.  And,  indeed,  there  cannot  be  a  better  evidence 
ot  a  right  temper  of  mind,  than  an  habitual  difpofilion  to 
the  excrcife  of  this  duty. 

But  as  prayer  is  a  necedaiy  duty,  wc  ought  to  give  the 
greater  attention  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  performed. 
We  ought  to  afk  only  for  fuch  things  as  are  truly  fafe  and 
ufeful.  We  ought  alfo  to  offer  up  our  prayers  with  im- 
portunity, or  referve,  according  to  the  nature  and  com- 
parative importance  of  thofe  blcflings  we  defire  to  obtain. 


34^  On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart, 

All  our  wants  are  pcrfeftly  known  to  God  ;  he  Is  alfo  the 
beft  judge  of  what  is  fit  for  us,  and  therefore,  our  petitions 
ihould  be  well  weighed,  and  exprefiedin  fuch  terms,  as, 
at  the  fame  time  that  they  intimate  our  defires,  leave 
much  to  himfelf,  as  to  the  meafure  and  manner  of  fatis- 
lyino;  them. 

We  have  an  excellent  example  of  this  pious  and  pru- 
dent conduft,  in  the  prayer  of  the  prophet  Agur,  juft  read 
in  your  hearhig.  All  his  requefts  are  fummcd  up  in  two 
general  heads.  Thefe  he  fecms  to  inlid  upon,  as  abfolute- 
ly  neceffary  to  alk,  with  that  humble,  holy  confidence 
which  is  founded  on  the  divine  promife,  that  if  we  afli  any 
thing  agreeable  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us.  He  feems  alfo 
to  alk  them,  as  what  would  fully  fatisfy  him,  and  be  fufHci- 
ent  for  the  comfort  of  the  prefent  life,  and  the  happinefs 
of  the  life  to  come.  *'  Two  things,"  fays  he,  "■  have  I  re- 
*'  quired  of  thee,  deny  me  them  not  before,"  or,  as  it 
ought  rather  to  be  tranflated,  "  until  I  die." 

Thefe  two  requefts  are  conceived  ir  the  following  terms. 
*'  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies,  give  me  neither 
"  poverty  nor  riches."  The  firft,  viz.  "  remove  far  from 
**  me  vanity  and  lies,"  evidently  relates  to  the  temper  of 
his  mind,  and  the  {late  of  bis  foul.  The  fecond,  viz. 
"  give  m.e  neither  poverty  nor  riches,"  relates  to  his  out- 
ward condition  or  circumftances  in  the  prefent  life.  There 
are  two  things  in  the  general  flrudlure  of  this  comprehen- 
five  prayer,  that  merit  your  particular  attention.  Firft, 
The  order  of  his  requeft  ;  beginning  with  what  is  of  moft 
importance,  the  temper  of  his  mind,  and  his  hope  towards 
God  ;  and  then  adding,  as  but  deferving  the  fecond  place, 
what  related  to  his  prefent  accommodation. 

Secondly,  The  connexion  of  his  requefts.  The  choice 
he  makes  as  to  his  temporal  condition,  is  in  immediate 
and  diredt  fubferviency  tohisfanftification.  This  is  plain 
from  the  arguments  with  which  he  prefTes,  or  the  reafons 
which  he  affigns  for  his  fecond  petition.  ''  Give  mc  nei- 
"  thir  poverty  nor  riches,  left  I  be  full  and  deny  thee, 
"  and  fay,  who  is  the  Lord  ?  or  left  I  be  poor  and  fteal, 
*'  and  take  the  name  of  my  God  in  vain." 


On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart, 


jH/ 


Mv  brethren,  I  am  pcrfuadcd  that  this  fubje(!^  can  hard- 
ly be^  at  anytime,  unrcafoiiable  to  aChrinian  allembly, 
as  our  mifplaced,  exceflive,  and  unrealbnable  defires  are 
the  ^rcatell  enemies  to  om*  progrefs  in  hoHnefs,  as  well  as 
to  our  comfort  and  peace.  Perhaps,  however,  there  arc 
fome  circumftances  that  render  it  peculiarly  proper  for 
this  auditory.  Young  perfons  are  very  apt  to  cherifli  vail 
and  boundlcfs  dcfires  as  to  outward  things  ;  and  having 
not  yetexpeiiencedthc  deccitfulnefs  of  the  world,  arc  apt 
to  entertain  exceffive  and  extravagant  hopes.  The  truth 
is,  rich  and  poor,  young  and  old,  may  here  receive  a  lef- 
fon  of  the  utmoft  moment. 

Let  me  therefore  intreat  your  attention,  while  I  endea- 
vor to  open   and   improve  this  paflage  of  the  holy  fcrip- 

turcs  ;  beginning,  at  this  time,  with  the  firfl:  requeft 

*'  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies." 

Indifcourfing  on  which,  1  will  endeavor, 

I.  To  explain  the  import  of  it,  or  flicw  at  what  it  chief- 
ly points,  and  to  what  it  may  be  fuppofed  to  extend. 

II.  Apply  the  fubjccl  for  your  Inftruinion  and  dlrcdi- 

on. 

I.  I  am  to  explain  the  import  of  the  prophet's  prayer, 
or  fliew  at  what  it  chieiiy  points,  and  to  what  it  may  ba 
fuppofed  to  extend,  in  the  petition,  "  Remove  far  from 
"  mc  vanity  and  lies."  The  word  'canity,  efpecially  when 
it  is  joined,  as  it  is  frequently  in  fcripture,  with  lying,  or 
lies^  is  of  a  very  large  and  comprehenfive  fignification. 
The  word  in  the  original,  tranllatcd  ihwity,  properly  fig- 
nifies  ligbincss  or  enipthiess  ;  and  /ies  fignify  fahcbcod^ 
in  oppofition  to  truth. 

I  imagine  we  fliall  iiave  a  clear  conception,  both  of  the 
meaning  and  force  of  this  plirafe,  if  we  make  the  follow- 
ing remark  :  God  himfclf  is  the  great  fountain  of  life  and 
exigence  ;  the  great  I  AM,  as  he  emphatically  ftylcs  him- 
felf  to  Mofcs  ;  the  original  and  the  only  realtty,  if  I  may 
fo  fpeak.  All  other  beings  have  only  a  dependent  and 
precariou*:  cxiflcnce  ;  fo  that  the  crciition  itfelf,  though  his 
«\vn  v.'ork,  compared  to  him,  is  vanity.     "  V'aTiity  ofva- 


348  On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart. 

*'  nities,  faith  the  preacher,  vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  va^ 
"  nity.'*  Therefore,  in  a  particular  manner,  the  word  is 
often  ufed  to  denote  the  folly  of  all  idolatrous  worfliip  ;  or 
the  giving  the  refpedt  and  honor  to  any  thing  elfe,  which 
is  due  to  God  alone.  "  They  have  moved  me  to  jealoufy 
*'  with  that  which  is  not  God,  they  have  provoked  me  to 
*'  anger  with  their  vanities.  Are  there  any  among  the 
*'  vanities  of  the  Gentiles,  that  can  caufe  rain ;  or  can 
''  the  heavens  give  fliowers,  art  thou  not  he,  O  Lord 
"  our  God  ? 

Sometimes  it  is  ufed  to  denote  the  folly  or  unprofitable- 
ness of  any  vice,  and  particularly  of  an  ill-founded  con- 
ceit of  ourfclves,  as  well  as  of  all  fraud  and  diffimulation, 
in  word  or  action.  So  that  this  prayer  for  our  fouls,  fhort 
as  it  appears  to  be,  when  confidered  in  its  full  extent,  will 
be  found  to  contain  a  great  variety  of  important  matter. — 
This  I  flia,ll  endeavor  to  give  you  a  brief  account  of,  under 
the  following  particulars* 

I .  We  are  hereby  taught  to  pray,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
ferved  by  divine  grace,  from  all  falfe  and  erroneous  princi- 
ples in  religion  ;  fo  as  we  may  neither  be  deceived  by  themi 
ourfelves,  nor  any  way  inftrumentai  in  deceiving  others. 
This,  by  what  has  been  faid  of  the  ufe  of  the  words  in  fcrip- 
ture,  appears  to  be  implied  in  the  requeft,  and  it  is  of  more 
moment  than  fome  are  willing  to  allow.  The  underfiand- 
ing  being  the  leading  faculty,  an  error  there^  fpreads  its 
unhappy  influence  through  the  Vvhole  temper  and  life. 
Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  light  in  the  mind,  produces 
fidelity  and  fecurity  in  the  confcience,  and  tendernefs  in 
the  converfation.  You  may  obferve,  that  through  the 
whole  hiftory  of  the  old  teflament,  idolatry,  or  a  departure 
from  the  knowledge  and  worfliip  of  the  true  God,  is  the 
Icadin;^  fin,  and  the  fruitful  fource  of  every  other  vicious 
practice.  We  fometimes,  indeed,  feem  to  fland  aftonifli- 
cd  at  tlie  exceflive  pronenefs  of  the  ancient  Jews  to  this  fm. 
But  we  need  only  a  little  reflection  to  difcover,  that  an  evil 
heart  of  unbelief  continues  the  fame  at  bottom,  and  daily 
producers  the  like  dangerous  effects.  How  prone  have 
men  been  in  all  ages,  to  depart  from  the  fimplicity  of  the 
truth  !  In  how  many  different  fliapes  have  they  perverted  it ! 


On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart,  349 

One  age,  or  one  country,  has  been  pollulcd  hy  one 
error;  and  another  by  an  oppoike ;  impelled  by  the 
unftablc  and  irregular  fancies  of  men  of  corrupt  minds. 
'In  tlie  lad  age,  the  great  theme  of  the  carnal  realoner  was, 
to  attempt  to  expofe  tlie  fcripture  do(flrine  of  God's  certain 
knowledge,  and  precife  ordination  of  all  events  ;  and  in 
this,  liite  and  neceflity,  have  become  the  flrong  hold  of  in- 
fidelity, and  are  embraced,  or  feem  to  be  embraced,  by 
every  enemy  of  true  religion  without  exception.  Error, 
fliifting  its  ground,  indeed,  is  but  natural ;  for  lying  va- 
nities are  innumerable ;  but  the  true  God  is  the  fame 
**  yellerday,  to  day,  and  forever." 

At  this  very  time,  how  abounding  and  prevalent  is  in- 
fidelity, calling  in  queftion  the  moll  important  and  fun- 
damental principles,  both  of  natural  and  revealed  religion  I 
And  how  properly  is  this  dcfcribed,  by  the  expreflion  in 
the  text,  canity  and  lies  ;  for  it  always  takes  its  rife  from 
the  pride  and  vanity  of  the  human  heart  ?  Sometimes  a 
pride  of  underflanding,  which  afpires  to  pafs  judgment  on 
things  far  above  its  reach,  and  condemn  things  long  be- 
fore they  are  examined  and  underftood  :  Sometimes,  alfo, 
from  a  pride  of  heart,  or  felf-fulficiency,  that  is  unable  to 
endure  the  humbling  and  mortifying  view,  given  us  in 
fcripture,  of  our  chara(Sler  and  ftate.  Oh  how  readily  do 
men  turn  aiide  from  the  truth  !  With  what  greedinefs  do 
they  drink  in  the  flattering  but  dclb-u6live  poifon  !  Need 
I  point  out  to  you  the  fatal  effe(5ls  of  fuch  principles  taking 
place  ?  It  loclens  the  obligations  to  obedience,  takes  off 
the  edge  of  the  reproofs  of  confcience,  and  thus  removing 
reflraints,  leaves  men,  in  the  cmphatical  language  of  the 
lioly  fcripture,  "  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  their  own  hearts, 
''  and  in  the  fight  of  their  own  eyes." 

But  in  this  requeft,  *•'  remove  far  from  me  vanity  and 
*'  lies,"  I  would  not  have  you  confine  your  views  to  the 
moll  grofs  infidelity  and  avowed  oppofition  to  God.  Pray 
alfo,  that  you  may  be  preferved  from  error,  or  miftake  of 
any  kind;  but  efpecially  fuch  as  have  the  grcatefl  intlu- 
cnce  on  the  fubftance  of  religion. 

A  clear  apprehenfion  of  the  holy  nature,  and  righteous 
jovcrnment  of  God — the  infinite  evil  of  fin — the  founda- 

Voi.  II.  2  X 


^5o  On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart, 

tion  of  our  peace  in  the  blood  of  the  atonement — and  tbs 
renewuig  of  our  natures  by  the  Holy  Ghoft,  feem  to  me 
abfolutely  neceiiary  to  true  and  undenled  religion.  And 
they  are  the  truths,  which  particularly  ferve  to  exalt  the 
Creator,  and  lay  the  creature  in  the  dull.  When,  there- 
fore, we  confider  how  grateful  to  corrupt  nature  every 
thing  is,  that  tends  to  fofter  pride — to  create  fecurity,  and 
fst  ths  mind  at  eafe,  in  the  indulgence  of  fni :  we  muft  be 
ienfible  of  how  great  importance  it  is,  to  pray  for  divine 
direclion,  and  divine  prefervation.  Nothing  is  more  dan- 
gerous to  men  than  confidence  and  prefumption — nothing 
more  ufeful  in  faith  and  practice,  than  humility  and  felf- 
denial. 

2.  This  prayer  implies,  a  defire  that  we  may  be  pre- 
ferved  from  fetting  our  afleftions  on  fuch  obje6ls,  as  are 
but  vain  and  unfatisfying,  and  will,  in  the  end,  difappoint 
Gur  expe6tation.  I  take  this  to  be  not  only  a  part,  but  a 
very  important  part  of  the  prophet's  meaning.  The 
world  is  the  great  fource  of  temptation  ;  the  powerful  and 
unhappy  influence  of  which  we  may  daily  fee  ;  or  rather, 
all  of  us  daily  and  fenfibly  feel.  VVhat  is  it  pofieffes  the 
fancv,  mifleads  the  judgment,  inflames  the  a£fe<Stions, 
coniumes  the  time,  and  ruins  the  foul,  but  thefe  prefent 
enjoyments,  of  which  the  wiieft  of  men,  after  a  full  trial 
CI  them,  hath  left  us  their  charailer  inanity  of  ^o  am  ties, 

I  am  fenfible  that  I  have  now  entered  upon  a  fubjeil, 
which  is  far  from  being  difficult  to  enlarge  upon,  and  yet 
perhaps,  very  difficult  to  treat  with  propriety,  or  in  fuch 
a  ma.nner,  as  to  have  the  intended  effect.  There  is  no- 
thing more  ealythan,  in  a  bold  declamatory  way,  to  draw 
pictures  of  tiie  vanity  of  human  lite.  It  hath  been  done 
by  thoufands,  when,  after  all  their  broken  fchemes,  and 
difappointed  views,  they  have  jull  fuffered  fliipwreck  up- 
on the  coali  of  the  enchanted  land  of  hope.  But  from  fuch 
men  we  may  txpe(Sl  to  hear  the  language  of  defpair,  ra- 
ther than  of  experience ;  and  as  it  is  too  late  for  the  in- 
iiruction  of  the  fuiierers,  fo  it  very  rarely  has  any  effect 
in  v/arning  ethers  to  avoid  the  danger.  What  I  would, 
therefore,  willingly  attempt,  is,  to  confider  this  matter  in 
a  fober  fcriptural  light ;  iffobe,  that  it  may  pleafe  God 


On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart.  351 

to  earn'  convlflion  to  our  hearts,  and  make  it  truly  ufe- 
lul,  both  to  Ipcakcr  and  hearers. 

Jjci  me,  therefore,  my  brethren,  point  out  to  you,  prc- 
cifely,  wherein  the  vanity  of  tlie  world  Heth.  Tlie  world, 
in  itfelf,  is  the  workmanfliip  of  God,  and  every  thing  ihat 
is  done  in  it,  is  by  tlic  ordination,  or  permiffion  of  Gcd. 
As  fuch,  it  is  good,  and  may  be  ufcd  in  fubferviency  to 
his  honor,  and  our  own  peace.  But  through  the  corrup- 
tion of  our  nature,  the  creature  becomes  the  rival  and 
competitor  of  the  Creator  for  our  hearts. — When  we  place 
our  fupreme  happinefs  upon  it,  inilead  of  making  it  a 
mean  of  leading  us  to  God,  then  its  inlierent  vanity  im- 
mediately appears. — When  men  allow  tliemfelvcs  in  the 
indulgence  of  vicious  plcafurcs,  how  juflly  m.ay  they  be 
called  t-a/?//)'  and  lies  ?  They  are  fmiling  and  inviting  to 
appearance,  but  how  dreadful  and  deflructivc  in  their  ef- 
fecls  ?  "  Whoredom  and  wine,  and  new  wine  t  ikelh 
*'  away  the  heart."  Thofe  who  refufe  to  be  confined  by 
the  laws  of  piety  and  fohriet}-,  wi'inly  tliink  they  are  v.alk- 
ing  at  liberty,  when  tlicy  are  bringing  thcmfelves  into 
fubjedlion  to  the  feverefl  and  moft  inflexible  of  all  mafiers. 
Read  the  jufl:  and  ftriking  defcriptlon,  by  Solomon,  of  the 
effefls  of  whoredom  ;  and  reflect  on  the  innumerable  ca- 
lamities brought,  in  every  age,  on  perfons  and  families 
by  unbridled  lufl.  See  alfo  the  cfTecl^s  of  intemperance 
and  excefs — "  Wine  is  a  mocker,  ftrong  drink  is  raging, 
*'  and  whofever  is  deceived  thereby  is  not  wife."  And 
again  ;  "  the  drunkard  and  glutton  fhall  come  to  poverty. 
*^  Look  not  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red,  v/hen  it  giveth 
"  its  colour  in  the  cup,  when  it  moveth  itfelf  aright ;  at 
*'  laft.  it  bitcth  like  a  ferpent,  and  fiingeth  like  an  adder.'* 

Think  on  the  unhappy  confequenccs,  of  diflionefty  and 
fraud.  ''Bread  of  deceit  is  fweet  to  a  man,  but  after- 
"  wards  his  mouth  fnall  be  filled  with  gravel." — You  may 
nlfofee,  in  innumcnible  paflages  offcripture,  that  oppref- 
iion  of  others,  as  it  is  a  fin  of  the  deepeft  ([\;q^  fo  it  is  often 
remarkably  overtaken,  and  punifiied  in  the  covirfc  of  Pro- 
vidence, even  in  the  prcfent  life.  *'  Envy  thou  not  the 
"  oppreflor,  and  choofe  none  of  his  ways;  for  the  froward 
*'  is  abomination  to  the  Lord,  but  his  fccrct  is  with  the 


35*  On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart. 

"  righteous.     The  curfe  of  the  Lord  is  in  the  houfe  of  tlie 
"  wicked,  but  he  blefieth  the  habitation  of  the  jull." 

But  there  is  fomething  more  in  this  requeft,  than  being 
preferved  from  pra6:ices  dire6lly  vicious  ;  for  the  fetting 
of  our  hearts  upon  worldly  things,  and  making  them  our 
chief  portion  and  delight,  is  certainly  feeking  after  vanity 
and  lies.  They  are  far  from  affording  that  happinefs  and 
peace,  v/hich  \vc  demand  of  them,  and  expect  from  them. 
*'  A  little  that  a  righteous  man  hath,  is  better  than  the 
"  riches  of  many  wicked."  Can  there  be  any  thing  more 
convfortable  to  experience,  than  that  flrong  expreffion — 
"  Thou  prepareft  a  table  for  me  in  the  prefence  of  mine 
*'  enemies,  thou  anointeft  my  head  v/ith  oil,  my  cup  run- 
"  neth  over."  You  may  elfc  find  in  the  word  of  God, 
many  warnings  of  the  folly  of  thofe,  who  travel  in  the 
path  of  ambitioa,  and  put  their  trull  in  man.  "  Surely 
"  men  of  low  degree  are  vanity,  and  men  of  high  degree 
"  are  a  lie.  Put  not  your  trull  in  princes,  nor  in  the  fon 
"  of  man,  in  whom  there  is  no  help.  Happy  is  he  that 
*'  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whofe  hope  is  in  the 
"  Lord  his  God."  But  the  moll  comprehenfive  remark 
of  all,  upon  this  fubjeft  is,  that  human  life  itfelf  is  fo 
exceedingly  precarious,  that  it  mull  write  '  vanity  and 
*  emptinsis '  on  every  thing,  the  poireffion  and  ufe  of 
which  is  confined  to  the  prefent  flate.  "  Behold  thou  haft 
*'  made  my  days  as  an  liand-breadtli."  VvHiat  a  Itriking 
picture  does  our  Lord  draw  of  the  vanity  of  human  hap- 
pinefs, in  that  parable  of  the  ground  of  the  rich  man, 
which  brought  forth  plentifully  ?  "  And  he  thought  with- 
*'  in  himfelf,  faying,  what  ihall  I  do,  becaufe  I  have  no 
*'  room  where  to  beftow  my  fruits  ?" — And  while  this  man 
is  fedaloufly  employed  in  making  provifion  for  a  long 
and  happy  life,  '  God  faid  unto  him,  thou  fool,  this  night 
"  iliall  thy  foul  be  required  of  thee,  then  whole  lliall  thofe 
"  things  be,  which  thou  hail  provided  r" 

The  whole  of  the  preceding  reprefentation  maybe  fum- 
iTied  up  in  this  excellent  fentence  of  the  wife  man  :  "The 
'■'■  wicked  worketh  a  deceitful  work  ;  but  to  him  that  fow- 
*'  eth  righteoufly  fliall  be  a  fure  reward." 


On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart.  353 

Now,  my  brethren,  need  I  adil,  liow  prone  we  arc  to 
be  led  allray,  in  a  greater  or  kfs  degree,  by  luch  ''  vanity 
"  and  lies  ?" — I  do  not  infill  upon  the  many  vidims, 
which,  in  every  age,  have  been  feen  to  fall  by  die  dcllruc- 
tivc  hand  of  vice.  How  many  have  been  ruined  by  lull, 
flain  by  intemperance,  or  beggared  by  diflionelly  !  But  I 
intreat  you  particularly  to  obferve,  that  when  we  fet  our 
alleaions  innnoderately  upon  any  eartr.ly  objedl  or  enjoy- 
ment, or  when  they  are  not  truly  fanaified ;  how  much 
they  difappoint  our  expedation  in  poileliion,  andvvhat 
fcenes  of  difrrcfs  we  prepare  for  ourfelves  by  their  re- 
moval. 

3.  This  requed,  "  remove  far  from  mc  vanity  and  lies," 
implies,  diat  God  would  gracioully  preferve  us  from  de- 
ceiving ourfelves,  and  thinking  our  charaQer  better,  and 
our  flate  lafer  than  it  really  is.     When  we  take  a  view  of 
the  ftate  of  the  world,  and  the  conduft  of  thole  who  have 
not  yet  caft  off  all  belief  of  eternity,   and  a  judgment  to 
come,  it  is  impoilible  to  account  for  their  fecurity,  but  by 
a  great  degree  of  felf-deccit.     We  may  lay  of  them  with 
the  prophet  Ifaiah,  "  He  feedeth  of  aflies  ;  a  deceived  heart 
*'  hath  turned  him  alide,  drat  he  cannot  deliver  his  foul, 
*'  nor  fay.  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  m)'  right  hand  ?"  And  from 
the  reprefentation  given  by  our  Saviour,  it  is  plain,  that 
many  Ihall  continue  in  their  miflake,  and  only  be  unde- 
ceived at  the  lalt  day.  .  "  Not  every  one  that  iaith  unto 
''•  me,  Lord,  Lord,  ihall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
How  awful  a  refledion  tliis  !    Hov/  dreadful  a  dlfjippohit- 
ment  to  difcover  our  mifery,  only  when  there  is  no  more 
hope  of  efcaping  it  !     Is  there  not  a  poffibility  of^tiiis  be- 
ing the  cafe  with  many  of  you,  my  brethren  ;  and  do  you 
not  tremble  at  the  thought  ?     I  v;ould  not  wilh  any,  in 
jreneral,  to  give  way  to  a  fpirit  of  bondage,  or  Uavifli  fear  ; 
but  the  belf  of  the  children  of  God  have  ofteii  difcovered 
diis  holy  jealoufy  of  themfelves.     "  Who  can  underHand 
"  his  errors  ?  Cleanfe  thou  me  from  fecret  faults.     Keep 
"  back  thy  fervant  alfo  from  prefumptuous  fins  ;  let  them 
"  not  have  dominion  over  me,  tlien  Ihall  I  bo  upright,  and 
"  I  Ihall  be  innocent  from  the  great  tranfgreflion."     And 
again  ;  ''-'•  Search  me,  O  God,  and  knov/  my  heart ;  try  mc, 


354  ^^^  ^^•'^  Purity  of  the  Heart. 

*■'•  and  know  my  thoughts  ;  and  fee  if  there  be  any  wicked 
"  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlafling." 

This  leads  me  naturally  to  add  upon  this  fubjeft,  that 
we  ought  to  pray  for  prefervation  from  felf-deceit,  as  to 
particular  branches  of  our  chara6\er  and  conduft,  as  well 
as  our  general  flate. — Many,  even  upon  the  whole  good 
men,  are  occafionally  and  infenfibly  brought,  for  a  feafon, 
under  the  direction  of  finful  paffions.  They  may  be  in- 
dulging themfelves  without  ful'picion,  in  what  is,  notwith- 
ftanding,  really  provoking  to  God,  injurious  or  offenfive  to 
others,  and,  inthciffae,  hurtful  to  their  own  peace.  They 
may  be  making  an  enjoyment  a  talent,  a  relation  an  Idol, 
when  they  think  they  are  keeping  within  the  bounds  of 
duty.  They  may  be  indulging  a  fmful  refentm.ent,  v/hen 
they  think  they  are  promoting  the  gloiy  of  God.  Ivlany 
an  excufe  for  neglecting  commanded  duty,  from  prudence 
or  difficulty,  fatisfies  ourfelves,  which  v/ill  not  fiand  in  the 
day  of  trial.  What  reafon  for  the  prophet's  prayer  in  the 
fenfe  jufl  now  alTigned,  "  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and 
''  lies." 

4.  In  the  next  place,  this  requeft  implies,  a  defire  to 
be  preferved  from  pride  and  felf-conceit,  upon  any  fub- 
ject.  There  is  not  any  thing  that  affords  a  fironger  evi- 
dence of  our  being  unacquainted  with  ourfelves,  and  our 
own  ftate,  than  that  propenfity  to  pride  and  vanity,  which 
is  fo  common  to  us  all.  It  is  thought  by  many,  that  pride 
v/as  the  fm  of  the  angels,  that  call  them  down  to  hell.  It 
is  plain,  that  pride  was  the  main  ingredient  in  the  firfl  fm 
of  man.  And  perhaps  it  is  a  jufl,  and  proper  defcription 
of  all  fm  as  fuch,  tliat  it  is  a  dethroning  of  God,  and  fel- 
ting up  felf  to  be  loved,  honored  and  ferved  in  his  room. 
This  fm  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the  worfl:  of  men,  in 
whom  it  hath  an  abfolute  dominion  ;  but  retains  and  dif- 
covers  an  unhappy  influence  in  tlie  very  bed. — Every 
thing  may  be  the  fuel  of  pride  :  our  perfons  our  perfor- 
mances, our  relations,  our  poffeffions  ;  nay,  fo  pliable,  and 
at  the  fame  time  fo  prepofterous  is  this  difpofition,  that 
men  are  found  fom.etimes  proud  of  tiieir  very  vices  and  de- 
feats. But  hov\^  ill  do  pride  and  vanity  fuit  fach  poor  , 
mortals  as  v/e  are,  who  feem  born  but  to  die  ? — Whx)  aC- 


On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart.  3  ^5 

ter  paffing  through  a  longer  or  fliortcr  feries  of  weaknefles, 
dilappointments  and  troubles,  muft,  at  laO,  be  laid  in  the 
filent  gi-ave,  to  moulder  in  the  dull.  We  are  dependant 
creatures,  who  have  nothing,  and  can  have  nothing  but 
what  we  receive  from  the  unmerited  favor  of  God.  We 
are  unwife  and  ignorant  creatures,  who  know  nothing  to 
the  bottom,  and  therefore,  are  liable  to  continual  miftakes 
in  our  condud.  Thofe  among  us,  who  have  the  greateft 
comprehenfion  of  mind,  and  know  mod ;  as  it  ferves  to 
Ihevv  the  comparative  ignorance  of  the  bulk  of  mankind, 
fo  it  ferves  to  convince  themfelves  how  little  they  do 
know,  and  how  little  they  can  know  after  all,  compared 
with  what  is  to  them  unfcarchable. 

But  above  all,  wc  are  fuiful  creatures,  who  have  render- 
ed ourfelves,by  our  guilt,  the  jud  objecls  of  divine  difplea- 
fure.     Is  there  any  \\\\o  dares  to  plead  exemption  from 
this  character  ?  And  do  pride  and  vanity  become  thole, 
to  whom  they  manifcftly  belong  ?  Can  any  thing  be  more 
foolilh,  than  indulging  fuch  difpofitions  ?  There  is  a  very 
juil  expreiTion  of  oae  of  the  apocryphal  writers  :   "  Pride 
*'  was  not  made  for  man,  nor  a  high  look  for  him  that  is 
"•  born  of  a  woman."     Indeed  they  are  fo  evidently  un- 
fuitable  to  our  Hate  and  circumflances,  that  one  would 
think,  we  fhould  need  no  higher  principle  than  our  own 
reafon  and  obfervation  to  keep  us  free  from  them.     Wa 
do,  however,  need  the  moil  earnefl  and  affiduous  addref- 
fes  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  have  all  pride  and  vanity 
removed  from  us. — How  hateful  is  pride  to  God !  W^e 
are  told,  *'  he  refiireth  the  proud."     On  the  contrary,  no 
difpolition  is  more  amiable  in   his  fighr,   than  humility. 
"  He  givcth  grace  to  the  humble."     And  again  :   "  To 
*'  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a 
"  contrite  fpirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word.     For  thus 
**  faith  the  high  and  lofty  One,  that  inhabiteth  eternity, 
'*  whole  name  is  holy  ;  I  dwell  in  the  higli  and  holy  place, 
'*  with  him  alfo,  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  fpirit ; 
"  to  revive  the  fpirit  of  the  humble,   and  to  revive  the 
'*  heart  of  the  contrite  ones. 

It  mull,  therefore,  be  the  duty,  and  interefl:  of  t.\tvY 
good  man,  not  only  to  refill  pride  andvaniiy,  but  fj 


35^  On  the  Purity  of  the  Heart. 

make  it  a  part  of  his  daily  fupplication  to  God,  that  hs 
inay  eHetlually  be  delivered  frem  both. 

^.  In  the  lafi;  place  :  This  requeft  implies  a  dcfire  to  be 
delivered  from  fraud  and  diflimulation  of  every  kind.  It 
is  one  of  the  glorious  attributes  of  God,  that  he  is  a  God 
of  truth,  who  will  not,  and  who  cannot  lie.  He  alfo  re- 
quires of  all  his  lervants,  and  is  delighted  with  truth  in 
the  inward  parts.  But  there  feems  to  be  fome  difficulty 
in  this  part  of  the  fubjeft,  more  than  in  the  others.  Some 
will  fay,  vv'hy  pray  to  be  delivered  from  fraud  and  diffimu- 
lation  ?  This  might  be  an  exhortation  to  the  finner,  but 
cannot  be  the  prayer  of  the  penitent.  If  they  are  fmcere 
in  their  prayer,  it  feems  impoffible  there  can  be  any  dan- 
ger of  fraud.  Fraud  implies  deliberation  and  defign ;  and 
though  it  may  be  concealed  from  others  upon  whom  it  is 
exercifed,  it  can  never  be  concealed  from  the  perfon  in 
whom  it  dwells,  and  by  v^'hom  it  is  contrived.  This  is 
the  very  language  of  fome  reafoners,  who  infer  from  it, 
that  though  there  are  many  other  fms  to  which  a  man  may 
be  liable  Vvithout  knowing  it,  yet  this  can  never  be  the 
cafe  with  diffimulation. 

But,  my  brethren,  if  we  confider  hov/  apt  men  are, 
upon  a  fudden  temptation  of  fear  or  fhame,  or  the  prof- 
peel  of  fome  advantage  to  themfelves,  to  depart  from 
iiricl  veracity,  and  even  to  juftify  to  their  own  minds, 
'**  fome  kinds  and  degrees  of  deceptions,  we  iliall  fee  the  ab- 
folute  neceffity  of  making  this  a  part  of  our  prayer  to  God. 
Nay,  perhaps  I  may  go  fiirther  and  fay,  that  we  are  as 
ready  to  deceive  ourfelves  in  this  point  as  in  any  other. 

Upon  this  important  fubjeft,  there  is  one  confidcration 
to  Vv'hich  I  earneftly  intreat  your  attention.  Thorough  fm- 
cerity,  fimplicity  and  truth,  upon  every  fubjedl,  have,  in 
the  world,  fo  much  the  appearance  of  weaknefs ;  and  on 
the  contrary,  being  able  to  manage  and  over-reach  others, 
has  fo  much  the  appearance  of  fuperior  wifdom,  that  men 
are  very  liable  to  temptation  from  this  quarter.  It  is  to 
b-;  lame'.  t-;d  that  our  language  itfclf,  if  I  may  fo  fpeak, 
has  received  a  criminal  taint ;  for  in  common  difcourfe 
th®  expreihon,  a  plain  ivell-meaning  man  is  always  ap- 
prehended to  imply,  together  with  fmcerity,  fbme  degree 


On  the  Pwity  of  the  Heart. 


j>:), 


of  vveaknefs ;  although,  indeed,  it  is  a  chamber  of  all 
others  the  mod  noble.  In  recommendation  of  this  cha- 
radler  let  me  obfcrve,  that  in  this,  as  in  all  the  particulars 
mentioned  above,  "•  the  wicked  worketh  a  deceitful  work  ; 
"  but  he  that  walketh  uprightly  walketii  llircly."  Suppo- 
fing  a  man  to  have  the  prudence  and  difcretion  not  to 
fpeak  without  necefLty  ;  I  aflinn  there  is  no  end  Vvh.ich 
a  good  man  ought  to  aim  at,  which  may  not  be  more  ccr- 
tainl)'-,  fafely,  and  fpeedily  obtained  by  tiie  llriftell  and 
moll  inviolable  fnicerity,  than  by  any  ails  of  diffimulation 
whatever. 

But  after  all,  what  fignify  any  ends  of  prefent  conveni- 
ency,  which  diiFunulation  may  pretend  to  anfwer,  com- 
pared to  the  favor  of  God,  which  is  forfeited  by  it  ?  Hear 
what  the  Pfalmifi:  fays.  "  Who  fliall  abide  in  thy  taber- 
"  nacle,  who  fliall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill  t  He  that  walk- 
*'  eth  uprightly  and  worketh  rightcoufncfs,  and  fpeakcth 
"  the  truth  in  his  heart." — Let  us,  therefore,  add  this  lo 
the  other  views  of  the  prophet's  comprehenfive  prayer — 
"  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies." 

For  the  improvement  of  this  part  of  the  fubjcft,  obfeiTe^ 

I.  You  may  learn  from  it  how  to  attain,  not  only  a 
juflnefs  and  propriety,  but  a  readinefs  and  fulncfs  in  the 
duty  of  prayer. 

Nothing  is  a  greater  hinderance,  either  to  the  fervency 
of  our  affections,  or  the  force  of  our  exj^reffions  in  prayer, 
than  when  the  obje£t  of  our  defires  is  confufed  and  gene- 
ral. But  v^X'xtw  we  perceive  clearly  v/hat  it  is  that  is  need- 
ful to  us,  and  how  much  we  do  need  it,  this  gives  us,  in- 
deed, the  fpirit  of  fupplication.  Perhaps  it  is  more  ne- 
ceflary  to  attend  to  this  circumftance,  in  what  we  aflc  for* 
our  fouls  than  for  our  bodies.  Wlicn  we  want  any  thing 
that  relates  to  prefent  convcniency,  it  is  clearly  underRocd, 
becaufe  it  is  fenlibly  felt. — There  is  no  difficulty  in  crying 
for  deliverance  from  poverty,  ficlvi'.cfs,  reproach,  or  any 
other  eartlily  fufferiiig  ;  nay,  the  difficulty  here  is  not  in 
exciting  our  defircs,  but  in  moderating  them  :  not  in  pro- 
ducing fervor,  but  in  promoting  fubmilfion  :  But  in  what 
relates  to  our  Ibuls,  becaufe  many  or  moft  temptations  are 
agreeable  to  the  flclli,  we  forefee  danger  lefs  pcriedlly,  and 

Vol.  IL  2  Y 


^5^  ^>i  ^^<^  Purity  of  the  Heart. 

even  feel  it  lefs  fenfibly ;  therefore,  a  clofe  and  deliSerafgr 
attentioa  to  our  fituution  and  trials,  as  opened  in  the  pre- 
ceding difcourie,  is  of  the  utmofc  moment,  "  both  to  carry 
*'  us  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  to  direct  our  fpirit  when 
"  we  are  there." 

2.  What  hath  been  faid  will  ferve  to  excite  us  to  ha- 
bitual watchfulnefs,  and  to  direct  our  daily  converiation. 
The  fame  things  that  are  the  fubjects  of  prayer,  are  alfo 
the  objeits  of  diligence. — Prayer  and  diligence  are  joined 
by  our  Saviour,  and  ought  never  to  be  feparated  by  his 
people. — Prayer  without  watchfulnefs  is  not  fmcere,  and 
Avatchfulnefs  '■vithout  prayer  will  not  be  fuccefsful.  The 
lame  views  of  lin  and  duty — of  the  llrength  and  frequency 
of  teinptatio  1,  and  the  weaknefs  of  the  tempted  lead 
equally  to  both.  Let  me  befeech  you  then,  to  walk  cir- 
cumfpeftly,  not  as  fools,  but  ^s  wife.  Maintain  an  ha- 
bitual diffidence  of  yourfelves — Attend  to  the  various  dan- 
gers to  which  yoii  are  expofcd.  Watchfulnefs  of  itfelf 
will  fave  you  from  many  temptations,  and  Vv^ill  give  you 
an  inward  warrant,  and  humble  confidence,  to  aflv  of  God 
fupport  under,  and  deliverance  from  fuch  as  it  is  impoffi- 
ble  to  avoid. 

3..  In  the  lafl:  place,  fince  every  thing  com|Trehended  in 
the  petition  in  the  text,  is  viewed  in  the  light  offalfehood 
and  deceit,  fufFer  me,  in  the  mod  earnefl  manner,  to  re- 
commend to  my  hearers,  and  particularly  to  all  the  young 
perfons  under  my  care,  "  an  invariable  adherence  to  truth, 
^'■^  and  the  mod  untlifguifed  fimplicity  and  fincerity  in  the 
"•  whole  of  their  converfation  and  carriage."  I  do  not 
know  where  to  begin  or  end  in  fpeaking  of  the  excellency 
and  beauty  of  fincerity,  or  the  bafenefs  of  falfehood.  Sin- 
cerity is  amiable,  honorable  and  profitable.  It  is  the  mod 
lliining  part  of  a  commendable  charadler,  and  the  moil 
winning  apology  for  any  mifcarriage  or  unadvifed  aftion. 
There  is  fca;  c:i!y  any  action  in  itfelf  fo  bad,  as  v/hat  is- 
implied  in  the  hardened  front  of  him  who  covers  the  truth 
with  a  lie  :  Bifides,  it  is  always  a  fign  of  long  pracHice  in 
wickednefs.  Any  man  may  be  feduced  or  furprized  into 
a  fault,  but  none  but  the  habitual  villain  can  deny  it  with 
ileady  calmnefs  and  obftinacy.  In  this  reipecl,  we  un- 
happily find  fome  who  are  young  offenders,  but  old  finners-. 


On  the  Purity  oj  the  Heart.  ^^^ 

It  is  not  in  religion  only,  but  even  among  worlclh,-  men, 
that  lying  is  counted  the  utniolt  pitch  of  bafenels  ;  and  to 
be  called  a  liar  the  most  itisiipportabie  reproach.  No  won- 
der, indeed,  for  it  is  the  very  eflence  of  cov/ardice  to  dare 
to  do  a  thing  which  you  have  not  courage  to  avow.  'Vhe. 
very  word  of  fniners  are  fcnfible  of  it  thcmfelvcs,  for  they 
deeply  refent  the  imputation  of  it ;  and,  if  I  do  not  mif- 
take,  have  never  yet  arrived  at  the  abllirdity  of  defending 
it.  There  is  fcarcely  any  other  crime,  but  Ibme  are  pro- 
fligate enough  to  boafi:  of  it ;  but  I  do  not  remember  ever 
to  have  heard  of  any  who  made  his  boaii,  that  he  was  a 
liar.  To  crown  all,  lying  is  the  mofl  v.Tetchcd  follv, 
Juftly  does  Solomon  fay  :  *'  A  Ij  Ing  tongue  is  but  for' a 
"  moment."  It  is  eafily  difcovered.  Truth  is  a  firm 
confident  thing,  every  part  of  which  agrees  with,  and 
flrongly  fupports  another.  But  lies  are  not  only  repug- 
nant to  truth,  but  repugnant  to  each  other  ;  and  common- 
ly the  means,  like  a  treacherous  thief,  of  the  detedion  of 
the  whole.  Let  me,  therefore,  once  more  recommend  to 
every  one  of  you,  the  noble  chara(5ler  of  fincerity. — En. 
deavor  to  ellabliih  you.r  credit  in  this  refpe£l  fo  entirel}'-, 
that  every  word  you  fpeak  may  be  beyond  the  imputation 
of  deceit ;  fo  that  enemies  may,  themfelves,  be  fenfible, 
that  though  you  Ihould  abufe  them,  you  will  never  de- 
ceive them. 


[     3^1     ] 


.  .NAMsMt  AM  MM  M«aaooo  MM  ooM  oooo  '1000  eoooooooocMO  oooocoor  0O09COM0M0  aeo6  cooa  moo  oomomo  a 

^^-  ooo*  9000  OOOO  MOO  0000  0000  0000  oooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  coco  oooo  oooo  oooo  coco  moo  moo  ecQo  txxw  oooo  I 


SEEKING  A  COMPETENCY  in  the  WISDOM  of 
PROVIDENCE. 


SERMON 


Proverbs  xxx.  8. 

Give  me  neither  poverty,  nor  riches  ;  feed  me  with  food 
convenient  for  me. 

I  PROCEED  now  to  confidcr  the  fecond  branch  of  the 
prophet's  prayer,  which  regards  his  outward  condition, 
or  circuniftances,  in  the  prefent  world.  On  this  fubjeft 
he  exprefles  himfelf  thus  :  "  Give  me  neither  poverty  nor 
"  riches." 

Do  not  think,  my  brethren,  that  this  is  a  fubjed  of  lit- 
tle importance  ;  or  that  it  is  unconnected  with  the  fpiritu- 
al  life.  On  the  contrary,  there  are  few  things  of  more 
moment,  than  to  have  our  defires  of  temporal  bleflings 
limited  and  dire6ted  in  a  proper  manner.  Not  only  is 
worldly  mindednefs  the  everlafling  ruin  of  thofe  who  are 
entirely  under  its  dominion  ;  but  even  good  men  are  lia- 
ble to  many  temptations  from  the  fame  quarter.  They 
may  hurt  their  own  peace,  give  oflbnce  to  others,  or  lel- 
fen  their  ufcfulnefs  by  a  fuiful  excefs  in  their  attachment 
to  the  world,  or  by  a  criminal  negligence  in  not  giving  a 
prudent  and  proper  attention  to  it.     Be  not  furprifed  that 


362  Seeking  a  Competency  in 

I  have  mentioned  the  lafl:  ©f  thefe  as  well  as  the  firfl:,  for 
the  prophet  prays  for  deliverance  from  the  temptation 
arifingfrom  both  extremes.  Idlenefs  and  floth  are  as  con- 
trary to  true  religion,  as  either  avarice  or  ambition  ;  and 
the  habit  when  once  taken,  is  perhaps  more  diflicult  to 
remove. 

In  order  to  treat  this  fubjedl  with  the  greater  diftin£t- 
nefs,  I  fhall  firfi:  fhew  you  what  we  may  learn  in  general 
from  this  prayer :  fecondly,  explain  the  particular  object 
of  the  prophet's  defire  ;  and  in  the  lail  place,  make  ap- 
plications of  what  may  be  faid  by  recommending  it  to 
your  choice. 

I.  In  the  firfl:  place  then,  we  may  learn  in  general  from 
this  requeft,  that  it  is  lawful  to  pray  for  temporal  bleflings. 
It  is  not  unworthy  of  a  Ghriftian,  whofe  converfation  is 
in  heaven,  to  afk  of  God,  what  is  neceffary  to  his  fupport 
and  prefervation  in  the  prefent  life.  If  I  were  to  men- 
tion all  the  examples  of  this  in  fcripture,  I  fliould  tran- 
fcribe  a  great  part  of  the  Bible.  Though  inferior  in  their 
nature  and  value  to  fpiritual  bleffings,  they  are  neceffary 
in  their  place  ;  and  it  is  upon  this  footing  they  are  exprelT- 
ly  put  by  our  Saviour.  "  Your  heavenly  Father  knov.^eth 
"  that  ye  have  need  of  all  thefe  things."  They  are  need- 
ful to  the  prolonging  of  our  natural  life  till  we  finilli  our 
work,  and  are  fitted  for  our  reward.  Therefore,  though 
miracles  are  a  kind  of  fufpenfion  of  the  laws  of  nature, 
and  the  ordinary  courfe  of  providence  ;  yet  we  find  God 
fometimes  working  a  miracle  to  fup})ly  tlie  wants  of  his 
fervants.  It  had  been  no  more  diffieult  for  God  to  have 
kept  Elijah  from  hungering,  than  to  have  made  the  eagles 
feteh  him  provifion  ;  or  to  have  made,  as  in  another  cafe, 
a  barrel  of  meal,  or  a  cruife  of  oil,  the  lafting  and  fuffici- 
ent  fupport  of  a  whole  family.  But  he  choofes  rather  to 
fupply  the  wants  of  his  people,  thancaufe  them  to  ceafe, 
that  he  may  keep  their  dependance  conilantly  in  their 
view,  and  that  a  fenfe  of  their  neceffities  may  oblige  t|^em 
to  have  continual  recourfe  to  him  for  relief. 

Again,  we  may  here  learn,  that  God  is  the  real  and 
proper  giver  of  every  temporal,  as  well  as  of  every  fpiri- 


the  JVisdom  of  Providence.  36^ 

tua]  blefTuig.  A  fentiment  tliis,  oflhcutmofl:  confequcncc, 
to  be  engraven  upon  the  heart.  We  have  here  an  inRancc 
out  of  many,  in  which  truths  known  anJ  confefred  by  all, 
have  notwithftanding  little  hold  upon  the  mind.  How 
few  are  truly  fcnfible  of  their  continual  obligations  to  the 
God  of  life  ?  Confider,  I  befeech  you,  that  whatever  you 
poflefs  of  any  kind,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  He  holdeth  your 
foul  in  life,  and  guards  you  by  his  providence  in  your  going 
out  and  in  your  coming  in.  He  covereth  your  table  and 
filleth  your  cup.     Have  you  riches  ?    It  is  by  the  blcfling 

of  the  God  of  heaven "  The  blefTmg  of  the  Lord," 

faidi  the  Pfalmifi:,  "  it  maketii  rich.  But  thou  flialt  rc- 
"  member  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  it  is  he  that  giveth  thee 
"  power  to  get  v/ealth."  Have  you  credit  and  reputation  ? 
It  is  God  that  hideth  you  from  the  ilri  pes  of  tongues.  "Thou 
"  fhalt  be  hid  from  the  fcourge  of  the  tongue,  neidier  Ihalt 
*'  thou  be  afraid  of  dcftruftion  v/hen  it  cometh."  Have 
you  friends  ?  It  is  he  that  giveth  you  favor  in  their  fight. 
Have  you  talents  and  parts  ?  It  is  the  inspiration  of  the 
Almighty  that  giveth  thee  underflanding. 

II.  Let  us  now  explain  the  particular  tenor  of  this  }^- 
tition,  and  point  out  the  object  of  the  prophet'c  defire ; 
*'  Give  me  neither  poverty  nor  riches."  It  is  plain  we 
are  not  to  fupi)ofe  the  prophet,  in  any  degree,  refufinn- 
fubmlfTionto  the  will  of  God,  by  his  thus  making  choice 
of  a  particular  Ikte  of  life — Doubtlefs  he  refolved  to  be  at 
God's  difpofal,  and  believed  that  he  was  able  to  fandify  to 
him  a  Hate  of  the  highell  profperity,  or  of  the  deeped  ad- 
vcrfity.  It  was  no  diftruft  on  God,  but  felf-denial  and 
diffidence  of  his  own  flrength  that  fuggefted  this  prayer. 
Therefore,  in  adjuring  his  defires  and  expedlations,  he 
pitches  upon  that  Hate  that  appeared  to  him  liable  to  the 
fevvcfl  fnarcs.-  Thus  our  bielled  Saviour,  though  it  is  his 
will  tiiat  we  fhould  fear  no  enemy  when  going  out  in 
divine  ilrength,  yet  teaches  us  to  pray — "  Lead  hs  not 
*'  into  temptation." 

Poverty  and  riches  are  here  mentioned  as  tlic  two  ex- 
tremes ;  in  ncidier  of  wlilch  we  fnould  v.ifli  to  be  j^laced, 
but  in  a  fafer  middle  betv/ecn  tl:e  two  ;  fo  as,  if  it  pieafe 


364  Seeking  a  Competency  in 

God,  we  may  neither  be  urged  by  preffing  neceflity  nor 
over-loaded  with  fuch  abundance  as  we  may  be  in  danger 
of  abufing. 

But  perhaps  fome  will  fay,  where  is  the  middle  ?  How 
Ihall  we  be  able  to  determine  what  we  ought  to  defire, 
fmce  there  is  fo  immenfe  a  diflanee,  and  fo  many  inter- 
mediate degrees  between  the  extremity  of  want,  and  the 
countlefs  treafures  of  the  wealthy  ? 

But,  my  brethren,  if  we  do  not  hearken  to  the  illufive 
calls  of  ambition,  avarice  and  luft,  it  is  by  no  means  diffi- 
cult to  apprehend  the  meaning  of  the  prophet,  and  apply 
it  to  perfons  of  every  rank.  Regard,  no  doubt,  is  to  be 
had  to  the  various  Rations  in  which  God  hath  thought  fit 
to  place  us.  This  difference  of  flation  requires  fupplies 
of  the  conveniencies  of  life,  fuited  to  the  part  we  are 
bound  to  aft.  That  manner  of  life  which  would  be  decent 
and  liberal  in  one  ftation,  would  be  reckoned  mean  and 
fordid  in  another.  Therefore,  what  would  be  plenty  and 
fulnefs  to  perfons  in  inferior  flations,  would  be  extreme 
poverty  to  perfons  placed,  and  called  to  aft,  in  higher  and 
more  exalted  fpheres.  But  after  we  have  taken  in  the 
confideration  of  every  difference  that  may  happen  on  this 
fcore,  there  is  fomething  in  the  prayer  that  belongs  in 
common  to  persons  of  all  stations^  namely,  that  we  fliould 
be  modefi:  in  our  deftres  after  temporal  good  things,  and 
take  care  not  to  afk  only  to  gratify  a  fenfual  inclination, 
but  for  what  is  really  neceffary  or  ufeful  to  us.  The  laft 
is  reafonable  and  allowable,  the  other  is  unreafonable  and 
jullly  condemned  by  the  apoille  James.  "  Ye  afk  and 
"■  receive  not,  becaufe  ye  aflc  amifs,  that  ye  may  confume 
"  it  upon  your  lufts." 

But  the  firfl  part  of  this  requefi:  is  explained  by  the  laft, 
contained  in  tlie  words,  "  feed  me  Avith  food  convenient 
"  for  me."  That  we  may  be  able  to  enter  into  the  true 
fpirit  of  this  petition,  I  ihall  juft  compare  it  with  fome 
other  fcriptural  forms  of  prayer  on  the  lame  fubject,  and 
then  endeavor  to  point  out  what  I  take  to  be  the  chief  in- 
firu(51ion  intended  to  be  conveyed  to  us  by  ^t. 

As  to  the  fcripture  forms  of  prayer  for  temporal  provi- 
fion,  the  precedence  is  undoubtedly  due  to  that  excellent 


the  fVisdom  of  Promdmcc.  365 

form  left  us  by  our  Saviour,  in  which  we  find  this  petition, 
"  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."     You  may  next  at- 
tend to  the  prayer  put  up  by  Jacob  in   ancient  times. 
*'  And  Jacob  vowed  a  vow,  faying,  if  God  will  be  with 
"  me,  and  will  keep  me  in  this  way  that  I  go,  and  will 
"  give   me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on,  io  that 
"  1  come  again  to  my  father's  houfe  in  peace,  then  lliall 
"  the  Lord  be  my  God."     It  is  more  than  probable  that 
the  apoille  Paul  alludes  to  Jacob's  expreffion,  in  his  excel- 
lent advice  to  all  Chrillians.     "  But  godUnefs  with  con- 
"  tentment  is  great  gain,  for  v/e  brought  nothing  into  this 
"  world,  and  it  is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out ;   and 
"  having  food  and  raiment,   let  us  be  therewith  contenti 
"  But  they  that  will  be  rich,  Ml  into  temptation  and  a 
*'  fnare,  and  into  many  foolilh  and  hurtful  lulls,  which 
''  drown   men    in  dc{lru(5tion    and   perdition — for    the 
"  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil,  which  while  fome 
*'  coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierc- 
*'  ed  themfelves  through  with  many  forrows." 

It  is  obvious  to  remark,  that  all  thefe  prayers  and  this 
apoftolic  counfel  run  in  the  fame  drain.  Tliey  all  begin 
and  are  founded  upon  a  regard  to  God,  and  a  mind  right- 
ly difpofed  towards  him  :  "  If  the  Lord,"  fays  Jacob, 
*'  will  be  with  me"—"  Remove,"  fays  Agur  in  my  text, 
"  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies."  Our  Saviour  begins  his  ' 
prayer  with  petitions  for  the  glor}'  of  God,  with  which  the 
happinefs  of  our  fouls  is  infeparabiy  conneaed  ;  and  the 
apoftle  maintains  ^(7^/i//^^^  as  the  great  fource  of  content- 
ment with  our  portion  in  this  life. 

We  may  iiirther  obferve,  thatthere  is  the  fame  method 
obfer\'ed  in  all  thefe  prayers.  The  exprellions  vary  a  lit- 
tle, but  the  rcquell  is  the  fame.  Jacob  willies  for  the  di- 
vine proteaion,  with  food  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on. 
Agur  for  food  convenient  for  him  ;  and  in  the  Lord's 
prayer  we  afk  for  our  daily  bread.  There  is  no  fpecify- 
ing  of  any  particulars — no  mention  made  ot  this  or  the 
other  quantity  of  provifion.  Their  defies  are  fummed 
up  in  this  general  requeft,  and  the  quantity  and  quality 
wholly  referred  to  the  good  pleafure  of  God.  It  is  c-rtain 
tliat  God  lialh  fometimes  granted  to  his  ow  n  people,  riches 
Vol.11.  2  Z 


366  Seeking  a  Competency  iii 

in  p;reat  abundance  ;  and,  at  the  fame  time,  has  given  his 
blefTing  to  enjoy  them,  and  honored  the  poll'eflbrs,  by  ena- 
bling them  to  glorify  him  in  the  ufe  and  apphcation  of 
them.     But  the  direct  defire  of  riches,   I  do  not  think, 
hath  any  warrant  from  precept  or  example  in  his  word. 
And  when  they  are  bellowed  as  a  bleffing,  and  not  a  curfe, 
it  is  commonly  on  thofe  who,   by  their  fuperior  concern 
about  the  better  part,  fliew  that  they  will  put  them  to  their 
proper  ufe,  as  in  the  cafe  of  Solomon,  recorded  in  the  firft 
book  of  Kings.     "  In  Gibeon  the  Lord  appeared  to  Solo-- 
^  mon  in  a  dream  by  night ;  and  God  faid,   afli  what  I 
"  fliail  give  thee.     And    he   faid,  give   thy  fervant  an 
"  underilanding  heart.     And  the  fpeech  pleafed  the  Lord, 
"■  that  Solomon  had  alked  this  thing.     And  God  faid,  be- 
*'  caufe  tliou  haft  alked  this  thing,  and  haft  not  allied  for 
"  thyfelf  long   life,    neither   haft   afl<:ed  riches  for  thy- 
"  felf,  nor  haft  aflced  the  life  of  thine  enemies,  but  haft  aili- 
*'  ed  for  thyfelf  underftanding,  to  difcern  judgment :  Be- 
"  hold  I  have  done  according  to  thy  words ;  lo,  I  have 
*'  given  thee  a  wife  and  an  underftanding  heart,  fo  that 
**■  there  was  none  like  thee  before  thee,  neither  after  thee 
''''  fhall  any  arife  like  unto  thee.     And  I  have  alfo  given 
"  thee  that  Vv^hich  thou  haft  not  alked,  both  riches  and  ho- 
"  nor." 

Now  this  I  take  to  be  the  main  inftru6tion  intended  to 
be  given  us  with  refpe6t  to  our  prayers  for  temporal  mer- 
cies ;  that  we  fiiould  not  pretend  to  fet  bounds  to  God, 
but  leave  the  meafurc  of  them  to  his  determination. 

For  further  explaining  this  truth  ;  and,  at  the  fame  time 
recommending  it  to  your  regard,  be  pleafed  to  attend  to 
the  following  obfervations. 

I.  Confider  that  God,  infinitely  wife,  as  well  as  graci- 
ous, is  certainly  the  beft  judge  of  what  is  moft  fit  and  con- 
venient for  us.  We  know  fo  little  of  ourfelves,  that  we 
really  know  not  how  we  Ihould  behave,  if  placed  in  par- 
ticular circumftances,  until  we  are  tried.  The  world 
has  actually  feen  many  examples  of  thofe,  who  were 
loud  in  their  accufations  of  others,  behaving  worfe  when 
placed  in  the  fame  ftations.  And,  indeed,  I  fliould  na- 
tur^illy  exj)e6l,  that  an  impatient,  envious, .  difobedient 


the  IPIsdom  of  Prcoidenct.  367 

fubjeft  would,  if  raifed  to  power,  be  a  cruel,  Infolcnt,  un- 
jufl:  oppreiTor ;  that  a  petulant,  pcevifli  obiilnatc  Icrvant 
would  make  a  capricious,  fevere,  unrcafonablc  mailer. 

If  we  were  to  carve  out  our  own  lot,  and  to  Iiavcallourown 
dcfires  gratified,  there  is  great  reafon  to  prefume,  we  would 
throw  ourfelves  into  the  moft  difagrceable  circumftances 
with  regard  to  our  fouls,  and  probably  confult  but  ill  for 
our  peace  and  comfort  in  this  world. 

Let  me  put  a  few  queflions  to  every  one  that  fecretly 
murmurs  at  his  ftate.  Are  you  furc,  that  if  you  were  ad* 
vanced  to  a  place  of  power  and  trufl,  you  would  be  able 
to  carry  with  prudence,  refolution  and  integrity  ?  Are  you 
fnre,  that  if  you  were  fupplied  with  riches  in  great  abun- 
dance, you  would  not  allow  yourfelves  to  wander  in  plea- 
fure,  or  to  fwell  in  pride  ?  Are  you  lure,  that  if  you  were 
raifed  to  high  rank,  furrounded  by  flatterers,  and  word  lip- 
ped by  fervants,  you  would,  in  that  Handing,  behave  with 
humility  and  condefcenfion  ;  or  that  prefled  on  all  hands 
by  bufmefs,  company,  or  amufements,  you  would  Hill 
religioully  fave  your  time  forconverfe  with  God  ? 

A  life  of  piety  in  an  exalted  ftation  is  a  continual  con- 
flict with  the  ftrongefl  oppofition.  What  fays  experience 
upon  this  fubjeft  ?  Solomon  did  not  wholly,  and  to  the 
end,  refill  the  temptation  of  riches  and  dominion.  In  the 
whole  compafs  of  hiftory,  facrcd  and  profane,  I  do  not  re- 
member any  example  of  a  man's  behaving  better  in  point 
of  morals,  in  a  profperous,  than  an  afflicted  Hate,  except- 
ing one  that  hath  this  appearance,  viz.  Cicero,  the  Ko- 
man  orator.  His  conduit  in  profperity  was  full  of  digni- 
ty, and  feemed  wholly  dircfted  to  the  public  good  ;  where- 
as in  adverfity,  it  was  to  the  laft  degree  mean  and  abjett 
— But  probably  the  reafon  of  this  was,  that  pride,  or  ra- 
ther vanity,  was  his  ruling  palFion,  and  the  great  motive 
to  his  illuHrious  actions  ;  and  when  he  fell  into  adverfity, 
this  difpofition  had  no  fcope  for  its  exercifc. 

Chrillians,  the  Lord  knoweth  our  frame,  and  is  well  ac- 
quainted with  what  we  are  able  to  bear,  and  confequent- 
ly  what  ftate  of  life  will  be  upon  the  whoL*  moft  conveni- 
ent for  us.  It  is,  therefore,  our  inlerell,  as  well  as  duty, 
to  refer  ourfelves  entirely  to  him,  and  leave  him  to  choolj^v 


J 


68  Seeking  a  Compete?icy  in 


for  us.  This  is  not  only  the  do6lrine  of  fcripture,  but  fo 
agreeable  to  reafon  and  good  fenfe,  that  it  has  been  ac- 
knowledged by  feveral  of  the  Heathen  Philofophers,  who 
have  exprefled  themfelves  in  terms  perfectly  fimilar  to 
thofe  of  the  infpired  writings.  The  prayer  which  Socrates 
taught  his  pupil  Alcibiades,  is  very  remarkable ;  that  he 
fhould  befeech  the  Supreme  God  to  give  him  what  was 
good  for  him,  though  he  Ihould  not  aflc  it ;  and  to  with- 
hold from  him  whatever  would  be  hurtful,  though  he 
ihould  be  fo  foolifh  as  to  pray  for  it. 

2.  As  God  is  certainly  the  befl  judge  of  what  is  good 
for  us,  fo  refignation  to  him  is  a  moll:  acceptable  expreffion 
both  of  our  worfliip  and  obedience.  Single  duties  are  par- 
ticular afts ;  refignation  is  the  very  habit  of  obedience. 
The  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God  are  acknowledged  in  the 
moft  authentic  manner,  when  his  holy  and  fovereign  Pro- 
vidence is  humbly  fubmitted  to,  and  cordially  approved. 
Every  impatient  complaint  is  an  impeachment  of  Provi- 
dence ;  every  irregular  defire  is  an  aft  of  rebellion  againfl 
God.  Therefore  a  fubmiffive  temper  muft  be  highly  plea- 
fing  to  God,  and  is  the  way  to  glorify  him  in  the  moft  un- 
exceptionable manner.  The  rather  indeed,  as  it  is  im- 
poffible  to  attain  this  temper,  but  by  fmcerely  laying  hold 
of  the  covenant  of  peace,  which  is  ordered  in  all  things 
and  fure.  This  teaches  us  the  grounds  of  fubmiffion.  This 
procures  for  us  the  grace  of  fubmiffion.  This  ftains  the 
pride  of  all  human  glory.  This  changes  the  nature  of 
our  pofleffions  to  us,  and  us  to  them.  This  fpiritualizes 
a  worldly  m.ind,  and  makes  us  know,  in  our  own  expe- 
rience, that  all  the  paths  of  the  Lord  to  his  own  people, 
are  mercy  and  peace. 

3.  Such  a  temper  of  mind  will  greatly  contribute  to 
our  own  inward  peace.  It  will  be  an  efiedlual  preferva- 
tive  from  all  unrighteous  courfes,  and  unlawful,  or  even 
difhonorable  means  of  increafmg  our  worldly  fubllance,  and 
confequently  fave  us  from  the  troubles  or  dangers  to  which 
men  expofe  themfelves  by  fuch  practices.  It  will  preferve 
us  from  perplexing  anxiety,  and  many  uneafy  fears  for 
futurity.  It  will  bring  us  the  near  and  fure  way  to  the 
greatefl  of  all  earthly  bieffings — a  contented  ftiind. 


the  Wisdom  of  Protiidence.  369 

Such  will  be  the  fvvcet  and  clclightful  effeas  of  depend- 
in^  upon  God,  and  leaving  it  to  him  to  furnifli  our  fup- 
pUes  as  he  fees  moll  convenient  for  us.  Whoever  can 
pray  with  the  prophet—  "  give  me  ncidier  poverty  nor 
«  riches,  feed  me  with  food  convenient  (or  me"—  may  be 
fully  afTured,  that  his  defire  fhall  be  gratified,  as  it  is  per- 
feftly  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God. 

I  conclude  with  reading  to  you  our  Saviour's  exhorta- 
tion on  this  fubjed- "  Therefore,  I  fay  unto  you,  take  no 
"  thought  for  your  life,  what  ye  (hall  eat,  or  what  ye  fliall 
*'  drink  ;  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  fliall  put  on.     Is 
"  not  the  life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body  than  raiment  ? 
''  Behold  the  fowls  of  die  air ;  for  they  fow  not,  neither 
"  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns  ;  yet  your  heavenly 
"  Father  feedeth  them.     Are  not  ye  much  better  than 
"  they  ?  But  feck  ye  firfl;  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  Ins 
"  ri<Thteoufnefs ;  and  all  thefe  things  Hull  be  added  unto 
tt  you." 


C  371  ] 


1  •«•  aoea  »»CB  •000  •»<«  Boo»  ooeo  toM  ••••  •000  •«o»  ••«•  o»o»  MB*  « 

I  OMO  0000  0000  oaoa  SOOO  OSOO  MM  MOO  0000  COSS  «>«>  O  oa  OOM  0000  t 


Th£  danger  of  prosperity. 


SERMON. 


Proverbs  xxx.    9. 

Lest  I  be  full  and  deny  thee^  and  say  ^  ivho  is  the  Lord? 
Or^  lest  I  be  poor  and  steals  and  take  the  name  of  my 
God  in  vain, 

1  PROCEED  now  to  confider  the  arguments  by  whicli 
the  prophet  enforces  his  wife  and  well  conceived  pray- 
er. Thefe,  in  connexion  with  the  two  branches  of  the 
prayer,  Hand  thus :  "  Give  me  not  riches^  left  I  be  full 
"  and  deny  thee,  and  fay,  who  is  the  Lord  ?  And  give 
*'  me  not  poverty,  left  I  be  poor,  and  fteal,  and  take  the 
"  name  of  my  God  in  vain."  If  Agur's  prayer  is  con- 
ceived in  the  moft  modeft  and  humble  terms,  the  rcafons> 
with  which  he  fup^Dorts  it,  are  every  way  becoming  a  tru- 
ly wife  and  good  man.  You  fee  in  them  a  prevailing 
concern  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  and  his  own 
prefervation  in  the  paths  of  piety  and  virtue.  You  fee  iu 
them  a  humble  fenfe  of  his  own  weaknefs,  and  the  danger 
of  temptation  ;  he,  therefore,  defires  to  be  placed  in  fucli 
a  ftate  of  life,  as  will  expofe  him  to  the  fewelt  trials.  An 
excellent  difpofition  this,  and  highly  worthy  of  our  imita- 
tion. How  happy  would  it  be  for  us  all,  if  a  defire  to 
plcafe  God  and  preferve  our  integrity,  lay  always  neareit 


*372  The  Danger  of  Prosper iiy\ 

our  hearts,  and  had  a  conftant  and  commanding  influence! 
on  every  ftep  we  took  in  our  journey  through  life. 

Neither  riches  nor  poverty  are  bad  in  themfelves.  Nei- 
ther of  them  is  any  recommendation,  or  hinderance  to 
the  favor  of  God,  v/ho  is  no  refpeCter  of  perfons — there 
are  good  and  bad  in  all  ranks.  Men  may  be  rich  and  yet 
pious,  or  poor,  yet  flriftly  juft  and  honeft.  It  is,  I  con- 
fefs,  often  done,  yet  it  is  highly  criminal  to  look  upon  all 
that  are  rich  in  this  world  as  profane  ;  and  it  would  be 
equally  fo  to  look  upon  all  that  are  poor  as  deftitute  of  in- 
tegrity. Yet  it  is  undeniable,  that,  from  the  corruption 
of  the  human  heart,  thefe  two  extremes  do  often  become 
llrong  temptations  to  the  particular  fms  mentioned  in  the 
text ;  which  we  fliall  now  confider  feparately,  in  the  or- 
der in  which  they  lie  in  the  paffage  before  us. 

"  Give  me  not  riches,  left  I  be  full  and  deny  thee,  and 
"  fay,  who  is  the  Lord  ?" 

As  to  the  fact,  that  riches  do  often  lead  to  profanity  and 
contempt  of  God,  experience,  and  the  ftate  of  the  world 
prove  it  in  a  manner  too  plain  to  be  denied.  We  not  on- 
ly fee  that  thofe,  vv'ho  are  born  and  educated  from  their 
infancy  in  the  higher  ranks  of  life,  are  moft  prone  to  ne- 
glect the  duties  of  religion  ;  but  thofe  v/ho,  from  a  low  or 
mean  condition,  are  remarkably  raifed  in  the  courfe  of 
Providence,  do  often  change  their  temper  with  their  ftate, 
and  fliow  the  unhappv  influence  of  riches  in  leading  them 
to  a  forgetfulnefs  of  God.  Are  there  not  fome,  who  v/ere 
regularly  in  God's  houfe  when  they  but  barely  lubfifted^ 
who  have  not  time  for  it  now,  when  they  are  bufy  and 
wealthy  ?  x\re  there  not  fome  families,  where  the  vror- 
ihip  of  God  was  conftant  and  regular  in  early  life,  while 
they  were  undiilinguifhed,  and  now  it  is  no  more  to  be 
heard  in  their  farnptuous  palaces  and  elegant  apartments  ? 
Shall  I  fay,  that  any  worm  of  the  earth  is  become  too  con- 
fiderable  to  fall  down  before  the  omnipotent  Jehovali  ? 

I  may  add,  as  being  of  great  importance  in  the  pre- 
•fent  fubject,  that  fuch  changes  do  often  take  place  gra- 
dually and  infenfibly,  very  much  contrary  to  men's  own 
expectation  ;  fo  that  we  really  do  not  know  ourfelves,  nor 
can  we  determine  before  trial,  how  far  wq  Would  refill  or 


The  Danger  of  Prosperity.  375 

yield  to  the  force  of  temptation.  Tlic  j^roplxr  ]^llilia 
foretold  to  Hazael,  the  cruekies  he  would  be  jruiltv  of 
wlien  raifed  to  an  higher  llatioii ;  to  which  he  replied  wi.ji 
difdaia  and  abhorrence  ;  "  What,  is  thy  I'ervani  a  do;";, 
*'  that  he  Ihoulddo  this  great  thing  ?  And  Elifha  anfvvered, 
"  the  Lord  hath  ffiewed  me  that  tliou  Ihalt  Ix;  king  over 
*'  Syria."  The  conducV  of  the  children  of  ifrael  in  their 
profperity,  is  but  an  emblem  of  the  general  condudl  of- 
ihe  children  of  men.  "  But  Jefluirun  waxed  fat,  and 
**■  kicked.  Thou  art  waxed  fat,  thou  art  grown  thick, 
'^  thou  art  covered  with  fatnefs  :  Then  he  forlbok  God 
*'  which  made  him,  and  Jightly  elleemed  the  rock  Oi  his 
*'  lidvation." 

AVIiat  hath  been  faid  miglit  be  fufficicnt  to  iliew  the 
propriety  of  the  prophet's  prayer;  for  if  fuch  hath  been 
often,  or  generally,  the  influence  of  worldly  greatnefs  upon 
o^er  men,  why  fhouid  any  be  fo  confident  as  to  prefume 
it  would  be  otherwife  with  themfelves  ?  But  perhaps  it 
may  alfbrd  matter  of  ufeful  infl:ru6lion,  to  inquire  a  little 
further  into  the  fubjeft — to  trace  the  caufes  of  this  eiTcct, 
and  fliew  how,  and  why  riches  become  an  inducement  to 
irreligion  and  profanenefs,  for  this  w  ill  bjft  enable  us  to 
apply   the  remedy.      AVhen  I  fpeak  of  examining  the 
caufes  of  this  effedl:,  I  confefs  that  no  reafon  can  be  given 
for    it,  but    what  refledls  great   diflionor  upon    human 
nature  in  its  prefent  Hate.     Were  we  to  judge  of  the  mat- 
ter by  the  dictates  of  found  reafon,  we  ihould  naturally 
expedt  to  find  it  directly  contrary.     God  is  the  author  of 
every  blelhng  which  men  poffefs,  and  his  gifts  fliould  lead 
us  to  gratitude   and  acknowledgment.      It  feems  natural 
then  to  fuppofe,  that  thofe  who  arc  moft  higlily  favored  in 
the   courfe  of  Providence,  fiiould   difcover  the   greateft 
fenfe  of  obligation,  and  be  ready  to  make  every  dutiful 
return.     One  would  think  that  tliough  the  poor  ihould  be 
impatient,  furcly  the  rich  will  be  content  and  thankful. 
Is  not  this  reafonable  ?  Had  any  of  you  bellowed  many 
favors  upon  others,  would  you  not  cxj->c(5l  that  tlicir  grati- 
tude fliould  bear  fome  proportion  to  tiie  number  and  va- 
lue of  benefits  received  ?  Had  any  of  them  been  remarka- 
bly dillinguiflied  from  tlic  rcH,  would  you  not  expert  froii^ 
Vol.  11.  3  A 


374         ,  '^^^  Danger  of  Prosperity. 

tlieni  the  moft  Inviolable  fidelity  and  attachment  ?  Strange, 
that  our  condu6l  fhould  be  fo  direftly  oppofite  in  the  re- 
turns we  make  for  the  goodnefs  of  our  Maker  !  That  thofe 
who  are  diftinguiflied  from  others  by  the  largell  pofleffions, 
and  the  greateft  fulnefs  of  all  temporal  mercies,  lliculd  be 
the  moll  prone  to  wickednefs  of  all  forts ;  but  efpecially, 
that  they  fhould  be  peculiarly  inclined  to  forgetfulnefs 
and  contempt  of  God.  Yet  fo  it  is  in  truth.  But  how- 
ever difhonorable  it  is  to  human  nature,  let  us  fearch  into 
it  a  little,  and  perhaps  we  may  difcover  the  caufe  of  im- 
piety in  perfons  in  affluent  circumftances,  and  the  danger 
the  prophet  would  avoid,  by  attending  to  the  following 
pbfervations : 

1.  An  eafy  and  affluent  fortune  affords  the  means,  not 
only  of  pampering  our  bodies,  but  of  gratifying  all  our 
lufis  and  appetites.  They  are  as  flrong  probably  in  per- 
fons of  inferior  ftations,  but  Providence  has  rendered  tiie 
gratification  more  difficult,  and  in  fome  cafes  impoffible. 
Many  work  through  neceffity,  who  would  be  as  idle  and 
fiOthful  as  any,  but  for  the  fear  of  want.  Thefe  will  be 
the  firfl:  and  readicft  to  reproach  the  rich,  and  call  them 
idle  drones,  who  revel  in  that  abundance  for  which  they 
never  toiled ;  and  to  put  to  their  own  credit  that,  which 
is  wholly  owing  to  the  refi:raints  under  which  they  are  laid. 
Many  are  generally  fober,  becaufe  they  cannot  afford  the 
charges  of  intemperance,  who  want  nothing  but  the  means, 
to  riot  in  the  mofl  brutal  fenfuality.  But  to  perfons  of 
great  wealth,  the  objeds  of  defire  are  always  placed  in  full 
view,  and  are  evidently  within  their  reach  :  fo  that  the 
temptation  has  uncommon  force,  and  few  are  able  entirely 
to  refill  it. 

2.  The  indulgence  of  pleafure  infenfibly  induces  a 
habit,  and  leads  men  to  place  their  happineis  in  luch  en- 
pyments.  Plabit  you  know  is  very  powerful,  and  while 
the  habit  acquires  ilrength,  the  power  of  refillance  is  gra- 
dually weakened.  Thefe  gratifications  confume  fo  much 
time,  that  there  is  little  left  to  relied;  upon  God,  and  our 
relation  to  him.  I  reckon  it  none  of  the  leaft  temptations 
to  perfons  of  high  rank,  that  not  only  their  felf-indulgence, 
but  the  attendance  and  obfequiouihefs  of  others,  fo  en- 


756<?  Danger  of  Prosperity.  ;_;y| 

jETofles  their  attention,  and  wafles  their  time,  that  they 
liave  few  opportunities  ofcahu  and  Ibbcr  reflc6lion  ;  or  at 
kaft,  can  ealily  cfcape  from  it,  and  take  refuge  in  compa- 
ny and  amufement.  Add  to  this,  that  a  great  variety  of 
fenfiblc  objedls  and  enjoyments  render  the  mind,  not  only 
lefs  attentive  to  things  of  a  fpiritual  nature,  but  indeed, 
lefs  able  to  underftand  them. 

3.  Obferve  further,  that  when  the  better  part  is  thus 
negie£Ved,  and  no  care  taken  of  the  cultivation  of  the 
mind,  every  vice  will  fpring  and  flioot  up  in  the  foul,  as 
briars  and  thorns  do  upon  uncultivated  ground.  Sin,  my 
brethren,  is  natural  to  us  ;  it  is  the  produce  of  the  foil ;  if 
it  is  not  dellroyed,  it  will  not  die  ;  if  it  is  but  negledled,  it 
will  thrive.  Now  when  ever  perfons  fall  under  the  power 
of  vice,  they  begin  firfl  to  excufe,  and  then  to  vindicate  it. 
Thofe  who  are  under  the  government  of  lull,  foon  find  it 
would  be  their  intereft  that  there  was  no  fuch  thinjj  as 
religion  and  virtue.  Whatever  we  wifli,  we  are  eafily  led 
to  believe  to  be  true.  Loofe  and  atheifiical  principles  then 
find  a  ready  admittance,  and  are  fwallowed  down  greedily. 
This  is  a  Ihort  fketch  of  the  ileps  by  which  people  in  afilu- 
ent  and  eaf)^  circumflances,  are  often  led  to  deny  God,  and 
to  fay  :  "■  What  is  the  Almighty  that  we  fliouldferve  him, 
**  and  what  profit  fliould  we  have  if  we  pray  unto  him  :" — 
Loofe  principles  are,  at  firll,  more  frequently  the  effect, 
than  the  caufe  of  loofe  practices  ;  but  when  once  they  have 
taken  deep  root,  and  obtained  full  dominion  in  the  heart, 
they  have  a  dreadful  and  fatal  influence  on  the  devoted 
vitlim. 

But,  my  brethren,  I  find  a  fi:rong  inclination  to  make 
another  remark,  though  perhaps  it  may  be  thought  of  too 
refined  and  abftradt  a  nature.  It  is,  that  the  danger  of 
affluence  in  leading  to  contempt  of  God,  arifes  from  the 
nature  of  all  fin  as  fuch.  The  original  and  firfl  fin  of 
man,  was  plainly  affecting  independence.  They  defired 
and  expeded  to  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.  And 
ftill  fin  properly  confifls  in  withdrawing  our  allegiance 
from,  and  throwing  ofl'  our  dependance  upon  God,  and 
giving,  as  it  were,  diat  efieem,  love  and  fervice  to  our- 
felves,  in  one  fliape  or  another,  that  is  due  only  to  him* 


37^  ^hc  Danger  of  Prosperity. 

Now  obferve,  that  affluence  nouriflies  this  miftake,  and 
fufFering  kills  it.  The  more  everv  thing  abounds  with  us, 
the  more  our  will  is  fitbmitted  to,  and  our  inclinations 
gratified  on  every  fubjeft  ;  the  more  we  look  upon  our- 
felves  as  independent,  and  forget  our  obligations  to  God. 
Whereas,  on  the  other  hand,  difappointments  and  cala- 
mities open  our  blind  eyes,  and  make  us  remember  what 
We  are.  Was  not  the  proud  monarch  of  Babylon  in- 
fpired  v/ith  this  delufive  ienfe  of  independence,  when  he 
expreiled  himfelf  thus  :  "  At  the  end  of  twelve  months 
*'  he  walked  in  the  palace  of  the  kingdom  of  Babylon. 
"  The  king  fpake  and  faid,  is  not  this  great  Babylon,  that 
*'  I  have  built  for  the  iioufe  of  the  kingdom,  by  the  might 
"  of  my  power,  and  for  the  honor  of  my  majefly  ?"  But 
mark  the  more  powerful  word  of  the  King  of  kings. 
''  While  the  word  was  in  the  king's  mouth,  there  fell  a 
*'  voice  from  heaven,  faying,  O  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  to 
""  thee  it  is  fpoken,  the  kingdom  is  departed  from  thee  !'* 
That  this  is  the  proper  fource  of  worldly  greatnefs,  may 
be  feen  in  the  temper,  fuch  perfons  ufually  acquire  and 
fettle  in,  which  is  pride,  infolence  and  contempt  of  others. 
Nay,  it  appears  dill  more  clearly  in  fome  few  inftances, 
in  which  the  intoxication  comes  to  its  height,  and  the  poor 
deluded  mortal  literally  afpired  to  be  considered  and  treat- 
ed as  God.  It  may  feem  incredible,  but  we  have  the  moft 
authentic  evidence  that  hiftory  can  afford,  that  fome  men 
have  demanded  and  received  divine  worffiip.  This  was 
the  cafe,  not  only  with  Alexander  the  Great,  who  was 
really  an  illuRrious  prince,  but  with  fome  of  the  later 
Roman  emperors,  who  were  the  meanefl:  and  bafell  of  all 
Snen-.  No  wonder  then,  that  profperity  makes  men  ne- 
^i^tCi  God,  v/hen  it  prompts  them  to  fit  down  upon  his 
throne,  and  rob  him  of  the  fervice  of  his  other  fubjefts. 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  other  part  of  tlie  prophet's  ar- 
gument, ftifler  me  to  make  a  k\v  remarks,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  vv^hat  has  been  already  faid.  And, 

I.  See  hence  the  great  malignity  and  deceitfulnefs  o 
fm.  It  hardl;/  appears  more  ftrongly  from  any  circum- 
flance,  than  that  v.hich  has  been  the  fubject of  this  dif- 
courfe,  viz.  that  the  gifts  of  God,  in  the  courfe  of  his  Pro- 


The  Danger  of  Prosperity,  377 

vidcnce,  are  fo  far  from  exciting  our  gratitude,  in  propor- 
tion to  their  number  and  value,  tliat  on  the  contrary,  thofe 
who  recehe  most  are  ufually  most  profane.  They  make 
his  fevors,  inftruments  of  rebellion  againfl  him,  and  return 
contempt  for  his  indulgence,  and  hatred  for  his  love. 

J^t  us  not  take  occafion  from  this  to  gratify  our  own 
envy,  by  particular  or  perfonal  reproach  againlt  thofe  who 
are  great,  or  have  become  rich  amongfl:  themfelves ;  but 
let  us  a6t  a  far  wifer  and  jufler  part,  and  be  humbled  for 
the  fmfulnefs  of  our  nature,  and  warned  of  the  deccitful- 
nefs  of  fin.  We  may  feel  the  feeds  of  this  difpofition  in 
us  all.  You  find  the  wife  man  charging  a  fimilar  ingra- 
titude upon  man  in  general.  "  Becaufe  fentence  againit 
*'  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  fpeedily,  therefore  the 
"  heart  of  the  fons  of  men  is  fully  fet  in  them  to  do  evil." 
And  do  you  not  obferve  every  day,  nay,  has  it  not  turned 
into  a  proverb,  that  we  think  light  of  our  mercies,  fpiritual 
and  temporal,  when  tliey  are  common  and  abundant  ? 
And  what  is  the  true  and  proper  interpretation  of  this,  but 
that  the  greater  God's  goodnefs  is  to  us,  commonly  the 
lefs  is  our  gratitude  to  him  ? 

2.  Let  me  befeech  you  to  make  a  wife  improvement  of 
the  advantages  you  enjoy  over  one  another.  Let  them  ex- 
cite in  you  a  holy  emulation  to  teftify  your  fenfe  of  fuperi- 
or  bleffings,  by  fupcrior  piety  and  ufefulnefs.  Do  you  ex- 
cel others  in  any  refpe6l  ?  Are  you  fuccefsful  in  trade  ? 
Have  you  rifen  to  reputation  ?  Are  you  exalted  to  offices 
of  dignity  ?  Are  you  endowed  with  capacity  of  mind  ? 
Can  you  remember  the  time  when  thofe  were  your  equals 
who  arc  now  your  inferiors  ?  Do  not  look  with  infolence 
upon  others,  making  odious,  and  perhaps  unjufl  compari- 
fons.  Do  not  fwell  in  pride  and  felf complacence,  as  if 
by  your  own  power  you  had  made  youri'elves  to  differ,  hut 
rather  look  the  other  way  to  God,  who  is  the  maker  botli 
of  rich  and  poor,  and  pray  that  your  thankfulncfs  and  du- 
ty to  him  may  exceed  that  of  the  poor  man,  as  much  as  his 
liberality  to  you  exceeds  what  he  has  thought  proj")er  to  be- 
ilow  upon  him.  This  affords  me  an  opportunity  cf  rela- 
ting a  little  piece  of  private  hifiory,  that  happened  in  Grc-t 


37^  The  Danger  of  Prosperity, 

Britain,  and  appears  to  me  very  worthy  of  remembrance, 
and  very  conducive  to  the  ends  of  edification. 

A  gentleman  of  very  confiderable  fortune,  but  a  firan- 
ger  to  either  perfonal  or  family  religion,  one  evening  took 
a  iblitary  walk  through  a  part  of  his  own  grounds.  He  hap- 
pened to  come  near  to  a  mean  hut,  where  a  poor  man  with 
a  numerous  family  lived,  who  earned  their  bread  by  daily 
labor.  He  heard  a  voice  pretty  loud  and  continued. 
Not  knowing  what  it  was,  curiofity  prompted  him  to  lif- 
ten.  The  man,  who  was  pioufly  difpofed,  happened  to 
be  at  prayer  with  his  family.  So  foon  as  he  could  diilin- 
guilli  the  words,  he  heard  him  giving  thanks  with  great 
affection  to  God,  for  tlie  goodnefs  of  his  providence,  in 
giving  them  food  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on,  and  in 
fupplying  them  with  what  was  necefiary  and  comfortable 
in  the  prefent  life.  He  was  immediately,  no  doubt,  by 
divine  power,  ftruck  with  allonifliment  and  confufion, 
and  faid  to  himfelf,  does  this  poor  man,  who  has  nothing 
but  the  meanefi;  fare,  and  that  purchafed  by  fevere  labor, 
give  thanks  to  God  for  his  goodnefs  to  himfelf  and  family, 
and  I,  who  enjoy  eafe  and  honor,  and  every  thing  that  is 
grateful  and  delirable,  have  hardly  ever  bent  my  knee,  or 
made  any  acknowledgment  to  my  Maker  and  preferven 
It  pleafed  God  that  this  providential  occurrence  proved  the 
mean  of  bringing  him  to  a  real  and  lailing  fenfe  of  God  ' 
and  religion. 

Let  all  perlbns  in  health,  quiet  and  plentiful  circum.flan- 
CCS,  learn  from  the  preceding  difcourfe,  what  it  is  they 
ought  clearly  to  guard  againfl. — Pride,  feeurity,  forgetful- 
nefs  of  God,  are  peculiarly  incident  to  that  llate.  ''  luo 
"  this,"  faith  the  Lord  to  Jerufalem,  "  was  the  iniquity  of 
"  thy  fifter  Sodom,  pride,  fulnefs  of  bread,  and  abundance 
"  of  idlenefs  was  in  her,  and  in  her  daughters,  neither 
"  did  fhe  ilrengthen  the  hand  of  the  poor  and  needy."  A 
fcrious  reflection  on  the  obligation  fuch  lie  under  to  God 
for  what  they  have  received  in  their  continued  dependance 
upon  him,  and  the  inftability  of  all  earthly  things,  would 
fave  them  from  the  hurtful  influence  of  worldly  profperity. 
To  enforce  this,  I  fliall  only  read  the  apoftolic  charge  to 
Timothy.     "  Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  world,  that 


The  Danger  of  Prosperity.  3^9 

**  they  be  not  high  minded,  nor  truft  in  uncertain  riches, 
*'  but  in  the  living  God,  who  giveth  us  all  things  richly 
*'  to  enjoy ;  that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in  good 
"works,  ready  to  dillribute,  willing  to  communicate; 
"  laying  up  in  flore  for  thcmfelves  a  good  foundation 
"  againft  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay  hold  on  eter- 
"  nal  life." 


[     38'     ] 


)  0*00  oono  aoM  tOM  o*oo  fwio  tmom  oooo  (xido  oooo  oooc  ooca  oooo  oaoa  moo  coo*  ooot  c 

I  O0O9MOO  MOO  OOOO  OOOO  COM  OOOO  OOJO  0000  0000  000*  JQOO  OOM  COOO  OOOO  OOOO  OOOO  G 


The     danger     of    ADVERSITY. 

A 

SERMON. 


Proverbs  xxx.  9. 

Lest  I  be  pour  and  steal,  and  take  the  name  of  my  God 

in  vain, 

I  PROCEED  now  to  confider  the  argument  by  winch 
the  prophet  urges  tlie  fecond  branch  of  his  requell, 
which,  in  connexion,  runs  thus — "  Give  me  not  poverty, 
"  iefl:  I  be  poor  and  Ileal."  Having  not  only  explained 
the  general  principle  that  runs  through  the  whole  of  this 
fubject,  but  alfo  very  particularly  pointed  out  ilie  dangers 
attending  an  opulent  and  weallhy  ilate  ;  I  iliall  endeavor 
to  do  the  fame  tiling  with  refpec^l  to  a  Hate  of  poverty  and 
flraitnefs.  While  I  attempt  this,  I  am  fmcerely  fony 
that  diere  is  fo  mucli  propriety  in  the  llibjedl ;  and  tliat  it 
is  fo  well  fuited  to  the  circumfiances  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  place.  You  fee  the  prophet  confiders  the  great  and 
general  temptation  to  wliich  tiie  poor  are  expofcd,  to  be 
diflioneft,  by  ufmg  fraudulent  means  of  relieving  their 
wants,  or  bettering  their  condition.  You  ^co.  alfo,  he  con- 
fiders this  temptation  in  its  progrefs,  not  only  inclining 
them  to  zEt  unjuftly,  but  fometimes  proceeding  to  the  ter- 
rible degree  of  concealing  or  fupporting  the  fraud  by  iiilfe- 
VojL.  II.  ;  B 


382  The  t) anger  of  Ailversity. 

hood,  and  perhaps  at  laft  by  perjmy  or  falfe  fwearing; 
"  left  I  be  poor  and  Ileal,  and  take  the  name  of  my  God 
*'  in  vain." 

Let  us  firft  corifider  a  little  the  matter  of  hCi,  as  it 
appears  in  experience,  and  then  a  few  of  its  principal 
caufes. 

As  to  the  firfl  of  thefe,  fliali  I  be  afraid  to  affirm,  that 
extreme  poverty  often  inclines  perfons  to  diflionefly  and 
fraud  ?  Will  it  be  thought  harlh  and  fevere  to  thofe  already 
fufficiently  depreffed  ?  As  I  would  not  feem  to  ftand  in 
this  place,  and  flatter  the  pride  of  the  grcateft  and  moft 
eminent  of  my  fellow-fmners,  fo  neither  will  I  diflemble 
the  truth  from  a  falfe  compaffion  for  the  poor.  This 
would  indeed  be  doing  them  the  greateft  poffible  injury  ; 
It  would  be  treating  them,  from  miftaken  tendernefs,  as 
the  rich  are  often  treated  from  the  fear  or  partiality  of 
thofe  who  are  about  them  ;  foftering  their  felf-dcceit,  and 
not  fuffering  them  to  hear  the  mOft  falutary  truths,  bceaufe 
they  are  not  pleafmg  to  the  flefh. 

It  is  undoubtedly  matter  of  experience,  that  gfeat  po-^ 
verty  niakes  many  take  unjufi:  and  unwarrantable  methods 
of  procuring  relief.  Not  only  fo,  but  they  feem  often 
dilpofed  to  juflify  and  defend  them,  as  if  they  had  a  title 
to  re6tify  the  miflakes  of  Providence,  in  the  diflribution 
of  worldly  poffeffions.  This,  in  the  event,  receives  great 
encouragement  from  fome  who  feem  to  have  imbibed  a 
general  falfe  principle,  and  aft  upOn  it,  both  in  their  own 
conduft,  and  in  their  judgment  of  others.  In  the  divifion 
of  controverfy,  or  dividing  difputed  property,  when  one 
party  is,  or  is  fuppofed  to  be  rich,  and  in  eafy  circum- 
flances,  and  the  other  poor,  and  in  a  mean  condition, 
they  think  thatinftead  of  ailing  according  to  flri£ljuftice, 
the  advantage  fliould  always  be  made  to  fall  to  the  poorer 
fide.  This  conduft  is  confidered  by  fome,  not  only  as 
lawful,  but  as  laudable.  It  is  however  a  falfe  principle, 
and  is  condemned  in  fcripture,  which  fays,  "  Neither 
*'  fhalt  thou  countenance  a  poor  man  in  his  caufe."  It 
may  be  thought,  perhaps,  that  the  other  is  the  more  com- 
mon and  dangerous  partiality,  and  probably  it  is  fo  ;  yet 
this  alfo  is  blame-worthy,  and  when  followed  out,  as  I  am 


The  Danger  of  Achcrsity.  383 

afraid  it  too  often  is,  mud  involve  numbers  unawares  in 
the  guilt  of  ftealing  ;  for  when  they  liavc  once  laid  down 
this  rule,  that  the  poor  have  Ibme  claim  upon  the  rich, 
they  are  ready  to  apply  it  to  their  own  cale,  and  extend 
it  very  far.  But  in  all  matters  of  proj)erty,  or  ripjht  and 
wrong,  whether  a  perfon  is  rich  or  ])oor,  oii;^^lit  to  be  ut- 
terly out  of  the  queltion  ;  the  only  thing  to  be  confidercd 
is,  what  is  jufl  and  lawful.  The  rich  are  indeed,  in  point 
of  confcicnce,  bound  to  alllfl:  the  poor  ;  but  this  mult  be 
their  own  a6l ;  no  perfon  can  take  the  fmallell  part  of  their 
property,  without  their  confent,  but  he  is  p^uilty  ofan  act 
ofinjuftice,  and  violation  of  the  law  of  God.  No  perfon 
has  a  riglit  to  make  them  generous  and  charitable  againfl 
tiieir  wills,  or  to  exercife  their  own  gencrofity  and  charity 
at  tlieir  expence.  'J 'his  mi  ill  be  left  to  tlic  SujMeme  Judge 
at  the  1  aft  day,  who  will  fay  to  them,  "I  was  a  11  ranger 
''  and  ye  took  me  not  in,  naked  and  }'e  clothed  me  not, 
*'  fick  and  in  prifon  and  ye  vifited  me  r.ot."  But  what 
will  give  us  the  moft  diflinft  vie\f  of  the  influence  of 
poverty,  as  a  temptation,  is  the  too  frequent  conduct  of 
thofe  who  are  reduced  from  what  was  once  their  Itate,  to 
poverty  or  debt,  by  misfortunes  or  extravagance,  or  mif- 
managemcnt  of  their  affairs.  The  temptation  of  poverty 
is  not  by  far  ib  great  to  thofe  in  tiie  meaneft  ranks  of  lif^, 
whofe  income,  though  fmall,  is  not  very  difproporlionate 
to  what  hath  always  been  their  condition  ;  as  to  thcfj  who 
are  reduced  from  a  higher  to  a  lower  fiatc — The  few,  who 
in  fuch  a  fituation  preferve  their  integrity  inviolated,  and 
their  fmcerity  of  fjjecch  unfufpefted,  dcferve  the  highell 
honor.  Nay,  I  am  perfuaded  that,  bad  as  the  world  is, 
every  perfon  in  reduced  circumftances,  would  meet  v.-ith 
compaffion  and  affillance,  if  all  about  him  were  fenfible 
that  he  had  neither  loft  his  fubflancc  by  ncglcc:!:,  nor 
>vafted  it  by  riot,  nor  concealed  it  by  fraud.  But  though 
wc  cannot  help  afcribing  fome  mcalure  of  what  is  laid  to 
the  charge  of  pcrfons  in  this  unhaiii'V  ftaie,  to  thiC.  rage 
andrefemment  of  thofe  who  have  llillcvcd  by  thcni;  yet 
alas,  there  is  too  great  reafon  to  aliirm,  that  they  arc  too 
often  guilty  of  prevarication  and  fraud  the  fins  uicnt:onec^ 
ill  the  text. 


384  7"/^^  Danger  of  Achersity. 

I  will  dwell  no  longer  upon  the  fafi:,  but  will  confider 
a  little  the  reafons  of  it,  wiiich  will  direclly  ferve  to  pro- 
mote the  defign  of  this  dlfcourfe,  by  exciting  men  to  con- 
cern and  folicitude,  as  well  as  pointing  out  the  proper 
means  of  avoiding  the  temptation.  The  general  reaibn 
of  this,  to  be  fare,  is  obvious  to  every  body,  that  perfons 
in  poverty,  being  ftrongly  folicited  by  the  appetites  com- 
mon to  all  men,  and  not  having  their  own  vv'herev/ith  to 
gratify  their  defires,  are  tempted  to  lay  hold  of  the  proper- 
ty of  others.  They  grudge  to  fee  that  others  have  the  en- 
jo3'-ments  from  which  they  are  debarred  ;  and  fince  they 
cannot  have  them  in  a  lawful,  make  bold  to  feize  them  in 
an  unlawful  way.  But  this  I  do  not  infift  on,  that  I  may 
mention  one  or  two  particular  reafons,  which  will  fuggell 
fuitable  exhortations  to  duty. 

I.  The  firfll  Ihall  mention,  is  ignorance.  This  is  pecu- 
liarlyappHcable  to  thofe  in  theloweftranksof  life.  Through 
poverty  they  are  not  fo  well  inflruCled  as  they  ought  to  be, 
ia  the  principles  of  n:r;gion,and  the  great  rules  of  duty.  An 
ignorant  ftate  is  almoft  alv/ays  a  ftate  of  fecurity. — Their 
confciences  are  lefs  tender,  and  they  are  lefs  fenfible  of 
the  great  evil  of  prevai  ication  and  fraud.  I  am  obliged,  in 
fidelity,  to  fay,  that  in  t.he  private  infpetlion  of  my  charge, 
though  I  have  found  fome  initaiices  both  of  poverty  and 
ficknefs  borne  'with  the  moft  pious  rcfignation,  there  are 
alfo  fome  whofe  condition  might  move  the  hardefl  heart, 
living  in  the  mofl  fordid  poverty,  grofsly  ignorant,  and,  at 
the  fame  time,  fo  difpirited,  fo  flothful,  or  ^^o  proud,  that 
they  will  do  little  to  obtain  knowledge  for  themfelves,  or 
communicate  it  to  their  children.  Many  v.'ill  not  attend 
upon  the  public  means  of  inftruClion,  becaufe  they  cannot 
appear  in  fuch  a  decent  garb  as  they  could  wilh  ;  and  for 
the  fame  reafon  they  keep  their  children  from  them,  till 
they  contract  fuch  habits  of  idlenefs  and  vice,  that  they 
come  out  into  the  world  without  principle,  obfiinate  and 
intraftable.  Is  not  the  duty  here  very  plain  ?  AH  ilich 
Ihoukl  exert  themfelves  to  obtain  the  knowledge  of  the 
things  which  belong  to  their  peace.  They  fliould  neither 
be  unwilling  nor  afliamed  to  make  applicatioji  lor  fupply ; 
and  even  the  coarfelt  raiment  fliould  not  hinder  them  fron> 


The  Daivj^cr  of  Aihevshy.         '  -^85 

appearing  in  the  houfe  of  God.  Thus  they  will  find  ac- 
ceptance with  him,  if  they  worfliip  him  in  the  beauty  of 
holinefs,  preferable  to  thole  who  ai'e  clothed  in  purple  and 
fine  linen,  and  their  hearts  are  after  their  covetouhicfs. 

2.  Another  great  reafon  why  poverty  becomes  a  temp- 
tation to  fraud  is,  that  they  are  introduced  to  it  inlenfibly, 
and  led  on  by  degrees,  "^fhe  fm  Heals  upon  them  by  lit- 
tle and  little.  People  involved  in  their  circumftances,  to 
get  rid  of  importunity  and  folicitation,  make  promiles, 
more  of  what  they  hope  or  wifli,  than  of  what  they  are 
able  to  do.  Neceflity  ferves  as  an  excufe  for  tlieir  failing 
to  their  own  mindc,  and  thus  tliey  are  gradually  brought 
into  a  breach  of  fincerity,  and  proceed  from  lower  to 
higher  degrees  of  falfhood.  Little  arts  of  evafion  are 
iirll  made  ufe  of,  and  doubtful  pra<5lices  are  entered  upon. 
One  lin  feems  neceflary  to  flrengthen  or  conceal  ano- 
ther, till  at  lafl  the  groffcli:  fraud,  and  fometimes  penury 
itfelf,  clofes  the  unhappy  fcene.  1  have  read  an  excel- 
lent obfervation,  that  there  is  hardly  I'uch  a  thing  as  a  lin- 
gle  fm ;  they  are  always  to  be  found  in  clulicrs.  Jam 
fure,  this  holds  in  a  particular  manner  as  to  lins  of  injuf- 
tice.  They  are  fo  interwoven  and  conneiflcd  together, 
that  you  cannot  receive  any  one  witliout  being  obliged  to 
admit  the  reft.  This  is  one  great  brap.cli  of  the  dcceitrul- 
nel's  of  hn  in  general ;  with  a  view  to  which  the  apoille 
fays  ;  "  But  exhort  one  another  daily  wliile  it  is  called  to- 
*'  day,  left  any  of  you  be  hardened  through  the  dcccitful- 
"  nefs  of  fm." 

3.  I  only  mention  one  otlier  reafon  of  poverty  being  a 
temptation  to  fraud,  viz.  that  in  time  it  (lcftro}s  the  fenfe 
of  fhamc.  I  am  not  ignorant,  that  a  ienle  of  ihamc, 
which  is  nothing  elfe  but  a  fear  of  die  ceni'ure  of  otiiers, 
neiUier  is,  nor  ought  to  be  the  main  principle  of  a  good 
man's  actions.  But  as  there  is  no  other  principle  at  all  in 
m  my,  fo  it  is  a  good  afliftant,  and  corroboru-ive  v.  !,cn  juftly 
directed;  But  now,  through  the  corrupt  maxims  of  the 
world,  poverty  is  [q  much  the  object  of  contempt,  and 
thofe  who  are  in  this  ftate,  meet  c\ery  day  with  fo  many 
marks  of  neglect  from  all,  that  before  their  condition  is 
known,  they  will  do  almcft  any  thing  to  conceal  it,  and 


386  The  Danger  of  Adversity. 

after  it  is  known,  they  become  in  time  fo  dcftitute  of 
Ihame,  that  they  are  under  no  further  reflraint. 

From  this  particular  branch  of  the  fubjeft,  let  mc  put 
you  in  mind,  I 

1.  What  reafon  many  have  to  be  thankful  to  the  God 
of  life,  who  hath  given  them  their  daily  provifion,  if  not 
in  all  the  abundance  of  immenfe  riches,  yet  in  fulnefs  and 
fufficiency.  An  humble,  thanldul  difpofition  is  not  only 
your  duty,  in  return  for  the  divine  bounty,  but  is  itfelf 
the  richeil  and  fweetefl  ingredient  in  all  temporal  mercies. 
— It  is  that,  indeed,  which  makes  them  mercies. — Envi- 
ous perfons  do  not  tafte  what  they  have,  their  evil  eye  be- 
ing fixed  on  what  they  cannot  obtain.  Things  in  this  re- 
fped;  are  jufl:  what  they  feem  to  be.  Our  comforts  are  as 
we  are  enabled  to  relifli  them.  The  fame  poffeflions  which 
are  defpifed  by  the  impatient  or  ambitious,  are  a  treafure 
and  abundance  to  the  humble  and  grateful. 

2.  If  poverty  is  a  temptation,  it  ought  to  be  an  argu- 
ment to  all  to  avoid  it,  or  feek  deliverance  from  it  by  law- 
ful  means.  Apply  yourfelves  with  fleadinefs  and  perfe- 
verance  to  the  duties  of  your  calling,  that  you  may  pro- 
vide things  honeft  in  the  fight  of  all  men.  It  is  a  duty  of 
the  land,  and  of  the  gofpel ;  and  it  hath  this  promife,  in 
general,  annexed  to  it,  that  "  the  hand  of  the  diligent 
*'  maketh  rich."  Read,.  I  befeech  you,  that  vafl  treafure 
of  ufeful  inilruftion,  the  book  of  Proverbs  ;  where  you 
will  meet  with  many  excellent  counfels  and  wife  obferva- 
tions  upon  this  fubjeft.  Of  thefe  I  fliall  mention  at  pre^ 
fcnt,  h\xi  tvv'o  pafTages,  feleded  both  for  the  foundnefs  of 
the  inftru6tion,  and  the  beauty  of  the  illullration.  "  Go 
*'  to  the  ant,  thou  fluggard,  confider  her  ways  and  be  wife  ; 
"  which  having  no  guide,  overfeer,  or  ruler,  provideth 
"  her  meat  in  the  fammer,  and  gathereth  her  food  in  the 
"  harveft.  How  long  wilt  thou  ileep,  O  fluggard  ?  Vv^hen 
*'  wilt  thou  arifc  out  of  thy  fleep  ?  So  fliall  thy  poverty 
"  come  as  one  that  travelleth,  and  thy  want  as  an  armed 
"  man."  And  again  ;  *'  I  went  by  the  field  of  the  floth- 
*'  ful,  and  by  the  vineyard  of  the  man  void  of  underftand- 
"  ing;  and  lo,it  was  all  grown  over  with  thorns,  and  nettles 


The  Danger  of  Adversity.  387 

*'  had  covered  the  face  thereof,  and  the  Hone-wall  thereof 
"  was  broken  down." 

•^.  Are  any  of  you  poor  and  reduced  in  your  cnxum- 
ftances,  fet  a  double  watch  upon  your  conduft,  and  ear- 
neflly  pray  that  God  may  preferva  you  from  fraud  and 
difingenuity  of  every  kind.  Rather  fufler  yourfelvcs  to 
be  llripped  of  every  thing,  and  apply  to  the  charity  of 
others,  v/hich  is  not  finful,  and  ought  not  to  be  ihamcful, 
than  take  any  diflionefl  methods  ,of  bettering  your  ilate. 
O  melancholy  thought,  that  many,  when  they  become 
defperate  in  their  circumftanccs,  become  alfo  dcfperate 
in  their  courfes,  and  drown  the  refledlion  of  their  con- 
fciences  in  flothfulnefs  and  fenfuality  !  Sincerity,  inte- 
grity, patience  and  fobriety  in  a  ruined  fortune  are  doub- 
ly eminent,  at  leafl,  whatever  they  may  be  in  the  fight  of 
the  world,  they  are  honorable  and  precious  in  the  fight  of 
God,  and  of  all  good  men. 

Before  concluding,  lufFer  me  to  make  one  or  two  re 
flections  on  the  fubjecl  in  general ;  the  feveral  parts  of 
which  I  have  now  explained.     And, 

I.  On  what  hatli  been  faid  on  this  fubjeft,  I  would 
graft  diis  important  lelTon  ;  that  you  fliould  not  only  lludy 
to  preferve  yourfelves  from  fm,  but  from  all  fuch  circum- 
flances  of  temptation  as  are  dangerous  to  human  condan- 
cv.  This  was  the  very  ground  of  the  prayer  of  the  pro- 
phet in  my  text,  and  is  the  fubftance  of  the  reafons  he  af- 
figns  for  his  requelh  We  are  taught  the  lame  thing  in 
the  ftrongcft  manner,  by  the  feveral  inllanccs  of  human 
frailty,  and  die  folly  of  prcfumptuous  confidence,  record- 
ed in  fcripture.  "  Now  all  thefe  things  happened  unto 
"  them  for  enfamples,  and  they  are  written  for  our  admo- 
"  nition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come. 
*'  Wherefore,  let  him  that  thinketh  he  ftandeth  take  heed 
*'  left  he  fall."  We  are  alfo  taught  the  fame  tiling  by  him 
who  knew  what  was  in  man,  as  he  has  given  us  direc- 
tions in  the  form  of  prayer  which  he  taught  his  dlfciples, 
to  lay,  Lord,  "  lead  us  not  into  temptation." 

Are  you  really  unwilling  to  do  evil,  you  will  be  con- 
cerned to  keep  yourfelves  out  of  the  way  of  every  folici- 
tation  to  it.     This  is  conftandy  the  ctfe6l  of  a  judicious 


383  The  Danger  of  Adversity. 

and  folic!  piety,  and  diofe  who  acl  odierwife  Ihew,  that 
they  cither  have  no  real  goodnefs,  or  that  they  are  very 
weak  Chrifiians,  and  httle  acquainted  either  with  them- 
fehes,  or  this  prefent  evil  v/orld. 

2.  You  may  learn  how  necelTary  it  is,  that  you  fliould 
look  for  the  divine  affifcance  and  dire6tion,  to  avoid  the 
temptation  of  every  ftate  of  life.  We  are  truly  of  ourfelves 
unequal  to  the  trials  with  which  we  are  furrounded.  Not 
that  tliere  is  any  thing  unjufl:  or  opprefTive  in  the  meafures 
of  Providence  ;  but  becaufe  it  feems  good  to  oar  Maker, 
to  oblip;e  us  to  a  conftant  dependance  upon  himfelfandhis 
proniifed  help.  "  But  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  fuffer 
"  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but  will  with 
"  the  temptation  alio  make  a  way  to  efcape,  that  ye  may 
*'  be  able  to  bear  it." 

The  leail  temptation  may  prove  too  hard  for  us,  if  we 
negledl  to  apply  for  fupreme  aid ;  but  in  divine  flrength, 
we  may  bid  defiance  to  the  mod  formidable  oppofition. 
This  temper  is  well  exemplified  and  defcribed  by  the 
apoftle  Paul  to  the  Corinthians.  "  And  he  faid  unto  me, 
"  my  grace  is  fufficient  for  thee,  for  my  flrength  is  made 
**  perfect  in  weaknefs.  Mofl  gladly,  therefore,  will  I  ra- 
*'  iher  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Chrill 
*'  may  refc  upon  me.  Therefore,  I  take  pleafure  in  in- 
"  iirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  neceffities,  in  perfecution, 
"  in  dillreffes  for  Chrifl's  fake ;  for  when  I  am  weak  then 
*'  am  I  ftrong." 

3-  From  what  hath  been  faid,  you  may  fee  what  an  in- 
fcparable  connexion  there  is  between  true  religion,  and 
your  employments,  andflate  in  this  prefent  world.  They 
have  a  mutual,  ftrong,  and  conflant  influence  upon  one 
another.  It  is  a  fatal,  though  a  common  error  to  feparate 
them  ;  entirely  to  confine  religion  to  the  times  and  places 
of  immediate  worfliip,  and  fuppofe  that  it  hath  nothing  to 
do  with  the  maxims  of  trade  and  commerce,  or  other 
v/orldlv  callings.  On  the  contrary,  }'our  imprelTions  of 
things  fpiritual  and  eternal,  will  direft  and  regulate  your 
views  as  to  the  prefent  life  ;  and  your  fuccefs  or  misfor- 
tunes in  worldly  fchemes,  will  have  a  certain  and  vifible 
eliccl  upon  your  Chriilian  converfation/  and  the  flate  of 


*rjje  Danger  of  Adversity.  389 

your  fouls.  Therefore,  let  them  never  be  feparated  in 
your  own  views,  and  let  them  flill  be  kept  in  their  proper 
order  and  fubordination.  Though  the  light  and  trivial 
ufc,  not  only  of  the  name  of  God,  but  of  fcripture-lan- 
guage,  is  both  finful  and  dangerous ;  and  though  a  for- 
ward odentatious  piety  may  fometirncs  look  fufpicious, 
yet  it  v\-ere  to  be  wiflied  we  iiad  more  of  a  grave  and  lia- 
bitual  acknowledgment  of  God  in  all  our  ways.  This 
■was  the  language  of  the  Patriarchs  of  old.  Jn  one  of  the 
former  difcourfes  upon  this  fubjedl,  I  took  notice  of  Jacob's 
pra3'er,  when  he  fet  out  for  ]\idiin-aram.  See  after  the 
increafe  of  his  family,  how  he  expreffes  himfelf  in  anfwer 
to  his  brother  I  faac.  "And  he  lift  up  his  eyes  and  faw 
"  the  women  and  children,  and  faid,  v.ho  arc  thofc  with 
"  thee  ?  And  he  faid  the  children  which  God  hath  graci- 
"  oufly  given  thy  fervant."  See  alfo  the  apoflolical  direc- 
tion for  the  manner  of  projefting  our  future  purpofes. — 
"  Go  to  now,  ye  that  fay  to-day,  or  to-morrow,  we  will 
"  go  into  fuch  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy 
"  and  fell,  and  get  gain.'* 

4.  In  the  laft  place,  let  me  befeech,  in  the  tendered: 
manner,  every  one  of  you,  rich  and  poor,  to  remember 
an  approaching  eternity.  It  will  not  be  long  till  the  ho- 
norable, and  defpifed,  the  wealthy  and  the  needy,  the 
mafter  and  the  fervant,  ihall  lie  down  in  the  duH:,  Lay  hold 
of  that  covenant  of  peace  which  is  ordered  in  all  things 
and  fure.  Hear  a  great  and  conftant  trutii.  "  What  is  a 
*'  man  profited,  though  he  lliould  gain  the  whole  world 
"  and  lofe  his  own  foul,  or  what  fliall  a  man  give  in  ex- 
"  change  for  his  foul  r"  How  many  a  Lazarus  is  now  in 
Abraham's  bofom  ;  and  how  many  a  rich  man,  that  once 
lived  delicately  on  earth,  is  at  this  moment  tormented  in 
hell- fire  I  Tlie  gofpel  of  peace  is  now  preached  in  your 
ears.  Believe  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and 
ye  fliall  be  faved.  I  cannot  promife  that  you  fliall  be  richi 
but  all  things  necclTary  are  afiured  to  }0U  by  the  divine 
promife  ;  food  and  raiment,  fupport  under  trials,  ftrength 
lor  duty,  and  in  the  world  to  come,  everlafting  refl; 

Vol.  II;  3  C 


[     39'     ] 


I  coco  ooea  ooo*  o*a«  Moa  oooa  eoao  mm  wo*  Mw  mm  oao*  coo*  cow  coos  M«a  mm  •«  o*o«  moo  mm  oom  < 


Om  the  religious  EDUCATION  of  CHILDREN. 


SERMON, 


Preached  in  the  Old  Presbyterian  Church  in  New -Tor  k^ 
to  a  licry  numerous  audience^  on  the  evening  of  the  se- 
cond Sabbath  in  May  ^  ly^g. 


Mark  x.  13,  14,  15,  16. 

And  they  brought  young  children  unto  him^  that  he  should 
touch  theni^  and  his  disciples  rebuked  those  that  brought 
them.  But  ivhen  Jesus  saw  it,  he  was  much  displea- 
sed^ and  said  unto  them^  Sujj'er  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  tiot :  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Verily  1  say  unto  you.  Whosoever  shall 
not  receiije  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall 
not  enter  therein.  And  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms, 
put  his  hands  upon  them,  and  blessed  them. 

THERE  are  few  things  in  which  peiTons  of  refle6lion, 
in  general,  and  cfpecially  thofe  who  lear  God,  are 
more  agreed,  than  the  importance  of  the  rifuv^;  generation; 
or,  wliich  is  the  true  meaning  of  that  cxpreflion,  the  im- 
portance of  the  inflrudlion  and  government  of  youth. 

This  is  a  fubjcct  of  great  extent,  and  may  alfo  be  taken 
up  ill  a  great  variety  of  lights.  I  am  one  of  thofe  who  tliink 


392  On  the  Religious 

that  it  may,  as  well  as  many  others,  be,  with  much  ad- 
vantage, confiddred  doftrinally  ;  and  that  a  clear  view  of 
divine  truth  upon  every  fubjedl,  will  have  the  mofl  power- 
ful and  happy  influence,  not  only  in  dircdling  our  fenti- 
ments,  but  in  governing  our  praftice. 

There  is  much  to  be  feen  of  the  proper  glory  of  the  Re- 
deemer in  this  paffage  of  fcripture.  His  ufefulnels — his 
attention  to  improve  every  feemingly  accidental  occur- 
rence for  thf  purpofe  of  inilru6lion,  and  his  amiable  con- 
defceniion  to  all  who  humbly  applied  to  Him,  and  ten- 
der feeling  for  their  wants  and  weaknefies.  It  appears 
from  this  pailage,  that  the  inhabitants  about  Jordan,  where 
he  then  was,  not  only  brought  their  fick  to  be  healed,  as 
they  did  in  mioft  other  places,  but  brought  young  children 
"  that  he  fliould  touch  them."  In  Luke  they  are  called 
infants  ;  and  in  the  latter  end  of  the  paffage  now  read,  it 
is  faid,  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms,  laid  his  hands  on 
them,  and  bleffed  them  ;  fo  that  it  is  probable  they  were 
all  of  them  of  very  early  age,  and  fome  of  them,  perhaps 
literally  what  we  call  infants,  who  could  not  yet  fpeak  or 
walk.  I  fee  not  the  lead  foundation  for  what  fome  com- 
mentators  fuppofe,  that  they  might  labor  under  fome  dif- 
order,  from  which  the  parents  fuppofed  he  would  cure 
them  :  If  this  had  been  the  intention,  the  difciplcs  Vv'ould 
not,  probably,  have  found  any  fault  with  it.  The  proba- 
bility is,  that  the  parents  or  relations  of  the  children  brought 
them,  expecting  that  he  would  lay  his  hands  on  them — 
authoritatively  blefs  them,  and  pray  for  them;  from  which 
they  believed  important  benefits  might  be  derived  to  them. 
The  difciples,  we  are  told,  "  rebuked  thofe  that  brought 
"  them,"  fuppofmg,  doubtlefs,  that  it  v/as  an  impertinent 
and  unneceffary  interruption  of  their  mafier,  and  that  the 
children  could  receive  no  benefit  at  that  early  time  of  life  ; 
and  who  knows  but,  like  the  human  wifdom  of  later  times^ 
they  might  think  the  attempt  fuperftitious  as  v/eJl  as  un- 
neceffary; however,  our  Lord  was  of  a  different  opinion, 
and  faid — ''  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me, 
*'  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  fiich  is  the  kingdom  cf 
*-'  God." 


Education  of  Children.  3^'» 

Now  the  fingle  fubjedt  of  this  difcourfe  fhall  be  to  in- 
quire,  What  is  the  import  of  this  declaration  ?  and,  What 
we  may  uuderltand  our  Saviour  as  affirming,  when  he 
fays,  of  young  children  or  infants,  ''  of  fuch  is  the  king- 
dom of  God  ?"  After  this,  I  will  give  fuch  advices  as  the 
truths  tliat  may  be  eltablillied  fliall  iuggell,  and  as  they 
feeni  to  me  moll  proper  to  enforce. 

Let  us  tlicn  confider  what  we  may  undcrfiand  our  Sa- 
viour as  afiinnhig,  when  he  lays,  of  young  children  or  in- 
fants, "  of  f[ich  is  the  kingdom  of  God." 

And,  in  the  firfi  place,  v;e  may  underftand  by  it,  tliat 
children  may  be  taken  within  the  bond  of  God's  co\'cnant; 
become  members  of  the  vifible  church,  and,  in  confc- 
quence,  be  relatively  holy.  I  do  no*:  found  the  lavv/ful- 
ncfs  of  infimt  baptilm  on  this  paffage  alone,  and  mean  to 
enter  into  no  controverfy  on  the  fubjeclat  this  time  ;  bit, 
as  it  is  clearly  elrabliflied  in  other  pafTages,  it  may  well 
be  underlrood  here.  At  anv  rate  fo  iar  as  I  ha\'e  allirmed 
is  undoubtedly  certain,  that  they  may  be  admitted  \\'ithin 
the  bond  of  God's  covenant.  We  know,  that  under  the 
Old  Tcllament,  they  received  the  fign  of  circumcifion, 
which  in  the  New  Tefiament,  is  faid  to  be  "  a  fcal  of  the 
"  righteoufncfs  that  is  of  faith."  (Rom,  iv.  ir.)  Many  be- 
nefits may  arife  from  tliis.  As  in  the  natural  conititution 
of  man  many  advantages  and  difadvantages  are  derived 
from  parents  upon  the  olTspring,  fo  in  the  nioral  conflitu- 
tion  of  divine  grace  many  blefllngs,  fpiritual  and  tempo- 
ral, may  be  inherited  from  pious  j^arents.  Children  are 
the  fubje6ts  of  prayer  ;  and,  of  confequcnce,  within  reach 
of  the  promife.  The  believer  may  juilly  hope  for  his  feed 
dying  in  infancy,  and  in  after  life,  many  eventual  provi- 
dential mercies  may  be  expefted  from  that  God  wlio 
''"  Iheweth  mercy  to  thoufands  of  generations  of  them  that 
*'  love  him." 

It  was  ufual  in  the  mod  ancient  times,  for  aged  or  holy 
perfons  to  blefs  children  formally.  I  do  not  recoiled  in 
ancient  hillory,  a  more  beautiful,  or  more  tender  fcene, 
than  that  we  have  recorded,  Gen.  xlviii.  i^.  of  the  patri- 
arch Jacob's  bleflTmg  his  grand-children,  the  fons  of  Jofcph, 
when  he  was  about  to  die—"  And  he  blcfled  Jofeph  and 


394  Of^  ^^^  Religious 

"  faid,  God  before  whom  my  fathers,  Abraham  and  Ifaac, 
"  did  walk,  the  God  which  fed  me  all  my  life  long  to  this 
*'  day,  the  angel  which  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  blefs 
*'  the  lads ;  and  let  my  name  be  named  upon  them, 
*'  and  the  name  of  my  fathers,  Abraham  and  Ifaac : 
*'  And  let  them  grow  into  a  multitude  in  the  midft  of  the 
"  earth."  We  are  told  by  an  ancient  writer  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  church,  that  Ignatius,  afterwards  bifhop  of  Antioch, 
was  one  of  thofe  children  thus  brought  to  Chrift  for  his 
bleffing ;  and  there  is  no  reafon,  that  I  know  of,  to  oppofe 
the  tradition  :  For  fuppofmg  him  to  have  been  an  infant, 
or  even  from  2  to  5  years  of  age,  it  would  make  him  only 
between  70  and  80  at  the  time  of  his  martyrdom,  in  the 
year  108  from  the  birth  of  Chrift. 

2.  The  declaration  "  of  fuch  is  the  kingdom  of  God," 
may  be  underftood  to  imply,  that  children  may,  even  in 
infancy,  be  the  fubjedts  of  regenerating  grace,  and  thereby 
become  really  holy.  This  is  plain  from  the  nature  of  the 
thing ;  for  if  they  can  carry  the  corrupt  imprelTion  of 
Adam's  nature  in  their  infant  Hate,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
but  they  may  be  renewed  after  the  image  of  him  that  cre- 
ated them.  Almighty  power  can  eafily  have  accefs  to 
them,  and  can,  in  anfwer  to  prayers,  as  well  as  endeavors, 
form  them  for  their  Maker's  fervice.  See  what  the  pro- 
phet Ifaiah  fays,  xxviii.  9.  "  Whom  fhall  he  teach  know- 
"  ledge  ?  and  whom  Ihall  he  make  to  underftand  doctrine? 
"  Thofe  that  are  weaned  from  the  milk,  and  drawn  from  the 
"  breafts."  Samuel  was  a  child  of  prayer,  and  dedicated 
to  God  from  his  infant  years,  and  it  is  faid  of  him,  i  Sam. 
ii.  26.  "  And  the  child  Samuel  grew,  and  was  in  favor 
"  both  with  the  Lord,  and  alfo  with  men."  It  is  an  ex- 
preffion  frequently  to  be  found  in  pious  writers,  and  among 
them  that  are  far  from  denying  the  univerfal  corruption 
of  human  nature,  that  fome  may  be  faid  to  be  fanftified 
from  the  womb — that  is,  that  the  time  of  their  renovation 
may  be  beyond  the  reach  both  of  underflanding  aud  me- 
mory ;  and  this  being  certainly  poffible,  may  julUy  be , 
confidered  as  the  object  of  denre  and  the  fiibjedl  of  prayer. 
Fev/,  perhaps,  have  failed  to  obferve,  that  fome  children 
diicover  upon  the  firft  dawn  of  reafon,  an '  amiable  and 


Education  of  Children.  395 

tra£lable  difpofition,  and  drink  in  fpiritual  inflrudlion, 
with  defire  and  delight ;  while  others  difcover  a  froward- 
nefs  and  repugnance  that  is  with  much  difficulty,  if  at  all, 
and  fometimes  never  overcome. 

3.  I  think  this  declaration  implies,  that  children  arc 
much  more  early  capable  of  receiving  benefit,  even  by 
outward  means,  than  is  generally  fuppofcd.  No  doubt 
the  reafon  of  the  condu(5l  of  the  difciples  was,  that  tliey 
fuppofed  the  children  could  receive  no  benefit.  In  this, 
from  our  Lord's  anfwer,  it  is  probable  he  thought  them 
miflaken.  I  will  not  enlarge  on  fome  refinr  d  remarks  of 
perfons  as  diflinguifiied  for  learning  as  piety ;  fome  of 
whom  have  fuppofed,  that  diey  are  capable  of  receiving 
impreflions  of  defire  and  averfion,  and  even  of  moral  tem- 
per, particularly,  of  love  or  hatred,  in  the  firfl  year  of 
their  lives.  I  mull,  however,  mention  a  remark  of  the 
juflly  celebrated  M.  Fenelon,  archbifliop  of  Cambray,  be- 
caufe  tlie  fa6l  on  which  it  is  founded  is  undeniable,  and 
the  dedu6licn  from  it  important.  He  fays,  that  *  before 
'  they  are  thought  capable  of  receiving  any  inflruQion,  or 

*  the  leaft  pains  are  taken  with  them,  they  learn  a  lan- 

*  guage. — Many  children  at  four  years  of  age  can  fpeak 
'  tlieir  mother  tongue,  though  not  with  the  fame  accura- 

*  cy  or  grammatical  precifion,  yet  with  greater  readinefs 
'  and  fulnefs  than  moll  fcholars  do  a  foreign  language 

*  after  the  ftudy  of  a  whole  life.'  If  I  were  to  enlarge 
upon  this  I  might  fay,  they  not  only  difcover  their  intel- 
lectual powers  by  connecting  the  idea  with  the  fign,  but 
acquire  many  fentiments  of  good  and  evil,  right  and 
wrong,  in  that  early  period  of  their  life.  Such  is  the  at- 
tention of  children,  that  they  often  feem  to  know  their 
parents  tempers  fooner  and  better  dian  they  know  their's, 
and  to  avail  themfelves  of  that  knowledge  to  obtain  their 
defires. 

To  apply  this  to  our  prefent  fubjeft,  or  rather  the  oc- 
cafion  of  it,  allow  me  to  obferv^e,  that  the  circumftances 
of  folemn  tranfaCtions  are  often  deeply  engraven  upon 
very  young  minds.  It  is  not  impoflible  that  fome  of  thofe 
young  children  might  recoIlcCt  and  be  aife£ted  v/ith 
the  majelly  and  condefcenfion  of  Jellis  of  Nazareth,  and 


396  On  the  Religious 

the  iinpreiTion  be  attended  with  happy  fruits.  At  any 
rate,  as  no  doubt  the  parents  would  often  relate  the  tranf- 
a6^ion_^to  their  children,  this  would  be  a  kind  of  feconda- 
ry  memory,  and  have  the  fame  efFeQ:  upon  their  fentiments 
and  conduft. 

4.  This  declaration  implies,  that  the  earlieit,  in  gene- 
ral, is  the  fitteii:  and  befl  time  for  inHruftion.  This  part 
of  the  fubject  has  been  treated  at  full  length  by  man}^  wri- 
ters in  every  a^"*^,  I  therefore  fhall  fay  the  ieis  upon  it — 
Only  obferve,  That  the  importance  of  early  inftrudtion  is 
written  upon  the  whole  fyflem  of  nature,  and  repeated  in 
every  page  of  the  hiftory  of  Providence.  You  may  bend 
a  young  twig  and  make  it  receive  almoft  any  form ;  but 
that  which  has  attained  to  maturity,  and  taken  its  ply,  you 
will  never  bring  into  another  fliape  than  that  which  it  na- 
turally bears.  In  the  fame  manner  thofe  habits  which 
men  contract  in  early  life,  and  are  flrengthened  by  time, 
it  is  next  to  impollible  to  change.  Far  be  it  from  me  to 
lay  any  thing  in  oppofition  to  the  infinite  power  and  abfo- 
lute  fovereignty  of  God ;  but  let  us  alfo  beware  of  confider- 
ing  thefe  as  oppofcd  to  the  natural  courfe  of  things,  or  the 
ufe  and  efficacy  of  means.  We  have  many  warnings  upon 
this  fubjed  in  fcripture,  where  the  recovery' of  an  habitual 
and  hardened  fmner,  is  likened  to  a  natural  impoffibility, 
Jer.  xiii.  23. — "  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  hisHvin,  or  the 
"  leopard  his  fi:iots  ?  then  may  ye  alfo  do  good  that  are  ac- 
"  cuitomed  to  do  evil."  God  will  referve  to  himfelf  his 
own  abfolute  fovereignty,  but  it  is  at  every  fmners  own  pe- 
ril if  he  prefume  upon  it  and  abufe  it. 

5.  This  declaration  of  our  Saviour — "  Of  fuch  is  the 
*'  kingdom  of  God" — may  imply,  that,  in  fa6t,  the  real 
difciples  of  Chrift  chefly  confill  of  thofe  who  are  called  in 
their  earlier  years.  The  vifible  church  of  Chrifl:  is  a  nu- 
merous and  mixed  fociety ;  but  his  myflical  body,  con- 
filling  of  real  believers,  I  think  we  are  warranted  from 
this  pafiage  of  fcripture  and  others,  as  well  as  the  analogy 
of  faith,  and  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things,  to  fuppofe, 
confills  for  the  moft  part  of  thofe  who  are  called  in  infan- 
cy and  youth.  This  is  an  important  truth,  and  deeply 
fraught  with  inflrudion  to  all,  of  every  rank.'    There  are 


Education  of  Children.  3^7 

fonie  called  after  a  courle  of  oppofitlon  to  God,  but  there 
are  kw  in  corn{)arifon  ;  therefore  the  apoftlc  Paul  llylcs 
himfelf — "  One  born  out  of  due  time."  Perhaps  experi- 
ence and  a  deliberate  view  of  the  Hate  of  the  world,  is  fuf- 
ficient  to  prove  this -ilTertion.  The  inftanccs  of  conver- 
fioii  in  advanced  life,  arc  very  rare  :  and  when  it  feems 
to  happen,  it  is  perhaps  mofl:  commonly  the  refurre£lion 
of  thofe  feeds  which  were  fown  in  infancy,  but  had  been 
long  llifled  by  the  violence  of  youthful  palfions,  or  the 
purfuits  of  ambition  and  the  hurry  of  an  adlive  life.  I 
have  known  feveral  inflances  of  the  inftru6tions  long  neg- 
lected of  deceafed  parents,  at  laft  rihng  up,  ailerting  their 
authority,  and  producing  the  deepell  penitence  and  real 
reformation.  But  my  experience  furniihes  me  with  no 
example  of  one  brought  up  in  ignorance  and  fecurity,  af- 
ter a  long  courfe  of  profancnefs  turning,  at  ihe  clofe  of  life, 
to  the  fervice  of  the  living  God.  The  mod  common  caie 
is,  that  the  deep  deep  continues  to  the  lall,  and,  as  the 
laying  is,  they  die  as  they  live  ;  though  in  fome  inftances, 
when  the  fms  have  been  of  the  grolTeil:  kind,  confcicnce 
awakens  at  their  going  off  the  ftage,  and  they  I'eem,  as  it 
were,  to  begin  the  torments  of  hell  with  the  terror  of  def- 
pair. 

You  v/ill  find  in  fome  practical  writers  an  opinion,  or 
fentiment,  that  feems  not  ill  founded  to  the  following  pur- 
pofe,  '  Some  are  called  at  the  eleventh  hour  that  none 
*  may  defpair,'  and  there  are  few  that  now  may  prefume. 
Others  make  a  diftinction,  not  without  ground,  as  it  feems 
founded  upon  the  wifdom  and  equity  of  the  divine  go- 
vernment ;  That  when  the  gol'pel  comes  to  a  people  that 
had  long  fitten  in  darknels,  there  may  be  numerous 
converts  of  all  ages ;  but  when  the  gofpel  has  been  long 
preached  in  plenty  and  purity,  and  ordinances  regularly 
adminidered,  few  but  thofe  who  are  called  in  early  life 
arc  ever  called  at  all.  A  very  judicious  and  pious  writer, 
Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  is  of  opinion,  that  in  a  regular  itatc 
of  the  church,  and  a  tolerable  meafure  of  faithfulnefs  ancJ 
purity  in  its  officers;  f.imily  inilruclion  and  government 
are  the  ufiiid  means  of  coiivcrfion,  p-.iblic  ordinances  of 
edification.     This   feems   agreeable  to  the  langUvigc  wf 

Vol.  It.  3  D 


39^'  On  the  Religions 

fcrlpture  ;  for  we  are  told  God  hath  fet  in  the  chureh 
"  apoftles,  prophets,  ,evangelifts,  paftors  and  teachers,'*' 
(not  for  converting  fmners,  but)  "  for  perfedling  of  the 
''  faints  for  the  work  of  the  miniftry,  and  the  edifying  of 
'■'•■  the  body  of  Chriil."  It  feems  to  add  further  weight  to 
this,  tliat  moft  of  thofe  who  are  recorded  in  fcripture  as 
eminent  for  piety,  were  called  in  early  life  ;  and  we  know 
not  but  it  may  have  been  the  cafe  with  others,  though  not 
particularly  mentioned  :  Thofe  I  have  in  view,  are  Abra- 
ham, ]\Iofes,  Samuel,  Da.vid,  Solomon,  Jofrah,  Daniel  and 
the  three  Children,  in  the  Old  Teflament,  and  in  the 
New,  John  Baptill  and  John  the  beloved  difciple ;  of 
whom  I  may  juil  obferve,  that  no  other  reafon  has  ever 
been  given  for  the  Saviour's  diflinguilhing  him  hy  par- 
ticular affeftion,  but  that  he  was  the  youngefl  of  the 
twelve. 

6.  In  the  lafl  place,  this  declaration  implies  that  the 
comparative  innocence  of  children  is  a  leffon  to  us,  and 
an  emblem  of  the  temper  and  carriage  of  Chrill's  real  dif- 
ciples.  This  inftruilion  we  are  not  left  to  iiifer  for  our- 
felves.  Our  Lord  has  made  the  remark  in  the  paffage- 
v/here  the  text  lies,  "  Whofoever  fliall  not  receive  the 
"  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child  fhall  not  enter  therein."' 
This  is  direftly  levelled  againft  the  pride  of  felf-fufllcien- 
cy,  and  every  rough  and  boifterous  paiTion.  It  is  remark- 
able that  the  very  fame  image  is  made  ufe  of  in  feverai 
paflages  of  fcripture.  Thus,  Mat.  xviii.  i,  2,  3,  4.  "  At 
*'  tlie  fame  time  came  the  difciples  unto  Jefus,  faying, 
*'  Who  is  the  greatell  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  And 
"  Jefus  called  a  little  child  unto  him,  and  fet  him  in  the 
"  midil  of  them,  and  faid,  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  except 
"  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  fliall 
"  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Whofoever, 
"  therefore  fliall  humble  himfelf  as  this  little  child,  the 
"  fame  is  greatefl:  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  So  alfo 
the  apoflle  Paul,  i  Cor.  xiv.  20.  "Brethren,  be  not  chil- 
"  dren  in  underftanding :  howbeit,  in  malice  be  ye  chil- 
*'  dren,  but  in  underflanding  be  men  :" — And  further, 
I  Peter  ii.  i,  2.  "  Wherefore  laying  afide  all  malice,  and 
"  all  guile,  and  hypocrifies,,  and  envies,  and  all  evil  fpeak- 


Education  of  Chlhh  rn.  399, 

«  ings, — as  new-born  babes,  defire  the  fincei'c  milk  of  the 
''  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby."  'J'he  graces  of  the 
fpirituallife  recommended  to  us  by  this  beautiful  iiiiuge, 
arc  humility,  gentlenefs,  teachablcnefs,  fincerity,  and  ca- 
fmefs  to  be  reconciled  :  all  which  arc  remarkable  in  young 
perfons,  and  are  frequently  loll  or  vitiated  by  growing 
years. 

I  come  now  to  make  a  pra6lical  improvement  of  thic 
fubjedt,  which  fliall  be  confined  to  pointing  out  die  du- 
ties fuggelled  by  the  foregoing  truths,  as  they  are  feveral- 
ly  incumbent  on^  i.  parents  ;  2.  children  ;  3.  every  hear- 
er of  the  gofpel. 

I.  Let  us  confider  the  duties  incumbent  on  parents- 
Is  it  ['o^  that  of  children  or  infants  the  Redeemer  laid,  of 
fuch  is  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Then  parents  fnould  be 
(i)  thankful.  Thankfulncfs  is  a  happy  frame  of  fpirit  in 
itfelf,  and  powerfully  reconciles  the  mind  to  diillcult,  and 
animates  it  to  important  duties.  Be  thankful  then  for  the 
honor  that  is  done  you,  for  the  trull  that  is  repofed  in 
you,  and  for  the  encouraging  promife  of  God  to  ainil  and 
accept  of  you  in  the  dilcharge  of  it.  '*  Childi-cn  are  tlie 
"  gift  of  God,  and  the  fruit  of  the  womb  is  his  reward." 
I  cannot  ealily  figure  to  myfclfany  greater  earthly  blelLng 
than  to  have  children  to  be  the  objects  of  your  care  ancl 
diligence  while  you  live,  and  to  inherit  your  name  and 
llibftance,  v/hen  you  yourfelves  mufl,  in  tlie  courfe  of  na- 
ture, go  ofl"  the  llage.  And  is  it  a  little  honor  to  be  in- 
truflcd  with  the  care  of  thefe  rational  creatures  of  God, 
born  for  immortality,  and  whole  prelent  peace  and  future 
welfare  depend  ^o  much  on  your  conduvjl:  ?  Are  you  not 
called  to  prepare  members  for  the  church  of  Chrill  ? — 
*•  for  of  fuch  is  his  kingdom  ;"  and  however  important 
the  miniflry  of  the  g>jfpel  is  (which  I  Ihould  be  the  lafl  to 
detra£l  from)  you  may  know,  that  it  is  out  of  a  minider's 
power  to  fpeak  to  the  iindcrflanding  of  thofe  vvli  >  are  not 
prepared  by  previous  inllruttion.  But  abo\e  all,  how 
thankful  lh«uld  you  be  for  the  encouragement  given  you 
to  bring  your  children  to  the  Saviour,  and  tliC  promife  of 
his  blcfli.ng.     *'  fie  took  them  up   in  his  arms,   laid  his 


40  o  On  the  Religious 

*'  hands  on  them  and  blefled  them."  Fathers  !  Mothers  \ 
What  ground  of  praife  to  the  condefcending  Saviour  ! 

(2.)  Be  early  and  diligent  in  inftrudlion.  This  is  the 
great  and  fubftantial  evidence  you  are  called  to  give  of 
your  thankfulnefs  for  the  mercy.  You  have  heard  that 
children  are  much  more  early  capable  of  receiving  benefit 
by  outward  means  than  is  commonly  fuppofed  :  Let  not, 
therefore,  the  devil  and  the  world  be  too  far  before-hand 
with  you,  in  poffeffing  their  fancy,  engaging  their  affec- 
tions, and  mifleading  their  judgment.  Is  it  a  fable,  or  do 
I  fpeak  truth  when  I  fay,  many  children  learn  to  fwear 
before  they  learn  to  pray.  It  is  indeed  afte6ling,  to  a  fe- 
rious  mind,  to  hear  children  lifping  out  ill-pronounced 
oaths,  or  fcurrilous  and  fcolding  abufe,  or  even  impurities 
which  they  do  not  underfland  ;  fo  that  the  lirft  fentiments 
they  form,  and  the  firft  words  they  utter,  are  thofe  of  impi- 
ety, malice,  or  obfcenity.  Nay  I  have  feen  children  in 
their  mother's  arms  aftually  taught  to  fcold,  by  uttering 
angry  founds,  before  they  could  fpeak  one  word  with  dif- 
tin£lnefs.  It  is  wholly  impolTible  for  me  here  to  intro- 
duce a  fyftem  of  direflions  as  to  the  method  of  early  in- 
flruftion  ;  this  mull  be  learned  elfewhere  and  at  another 
time ;  but  I  mean  to  imprefs  your  minds  with  a  fenfe  of 
the  importance  and  neceffity  of  the  duty,  and  I  will  add 
the  efficacy  of  it.  Remember  the  connection  between  the 
duty  and  the  promife — "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
♦'  fliould  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from 
*■'•  it."  I  knew  a  pious  and  judicious  minifter,  who  af- 
firmed, that  ^fJt  did  not  give  credit  to  that  part  of  God's 
word  if  we  did  not  believe  the  certainty  of  the  promife, 
as  well  as  the  obligation  of  the  duty  ;  he  was  of  opinion, 
that  every  parent,  when  he  feemed  to  fail,  fhould  conclude 
that  he  himfelf  had  been  undutiful,  and  not  that  God  had 
been  unfliithful. 

(3.)  Be  circumfpedl:  and  edifying  in  your  example. 
All  the  arguments  that  prefs  the  former  exhortation,  ap- 
ply with  the  fame,  perhaps  I  may  fay,  with  double  force 
to  this.  Example  is  itfelf  the  mofl  powerful  and  fuc- 
cefsful  inflrudtion ;  and  example  is  neceflary  to  give 
meaning  and  influence  to  all  other  inllrudion.     This  is 


Education  of  Children.  401 

one  of  the  oklefl  mtixims  upon  the  fubje6V  of  education  ; — 
The  Roman  iatyrifl:  fays,  ''  Ni'l  didu  vifuve  focduni  ha^c 
"  liniina  tangat  intra  quse  puer  clh"  Let  nothin^T;  bale 
be  fcen  or  heard  within  thefe  walls  in  which  a  child  is. 
And  if  children  naturally  form  their  fentiments,  habits 
and  manners,  by  imitation  of  others  in  general,  how  much 
more  powerful  muil  be  the  example  of  parents,  who  are 
every  hour  in  tlieir  fi;jht,  whom  nature  teaches  them,  and 
whom  duty  obliges  them  to  love,  and  when  it  comes 
recommended  by  the  continual  intercourfe,  and  the  en- 
dearing fervices  that  How  from  that  intimate  relation. 

(4.)  Ladly,  Parents  are  tau[.';ht  liere  pcrjeverance  and 
importunity  in  prayer.  This,  indeed,  is  an  important 
thing  upon  every  fubjcct  of  our  rcquefls  to  God.  Our 
Saviour  fpoke  a  parable  on  purpofe  to  teach  men,  that 
they  fhould  pray  and  not  faint,  Luke  xviii.  1.  And  if 
\vc  are  called  to  believe,  that  "  if  we  afl-:  any  thing  agrcc- 
"  able  to  his  w'iil  he  hearcth  us,"  what  more  agreeable  to 
his  will  than  frequent  and  importunate  prayer  for  the 
temporal  and  fpiritual  happinefs  of  children — What  a 
fupport  this  to  the  faith  of  prayer.  You  ought,  at  the 
fame  time,  to  remember  that,  as  the  prophet  Jeremiah  fays, 
*'  it  is  good  for  a  man  to  hope  and  quietly  to  v/ait  for  the 
*'  falvation  of  God."  The  anfwer  of  prayer  may  come  at 
a  much  greater  diflance  than  we  are  apt  to  look  for  it. 
There  is  a  remarkable  anecdote  handed  down  to  us,  re- 
fpe^ling  the  famous  St.  Augufline.  He  was  the  fon  of 
an  eminently  pious  woman,  whole  name  was  Monica, 
yet  he  was  in  his  youth  very  loofe  and  dilbrderly.  One 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  it  is  faid,  feeing  him  pafs  along  the 
ftreet,  reflected  upon  him  with  great  feverity,  as  a  dif- 
grace  to  fociety ;  but  anotlier  made  anfu'cr,  that  he  was 
not  widiout  hopes  of  him  after  all,  for  he  thought  it  next  to 
impoflible  that  the  fon  of  fo  many  prayers  fliould  ]-)erifli. — 
And  we  knov/,  that  in  fad,  he  became  in  due  time  one  of 
the  molt  eminent  champions  for  evangelical  truth.  There 
is  not  the  lead  doubt  that  many  prayers,  and  efpccially  of 
tills  kind,  may  have  their  anfuer  and  acconqilifliment 
after  the  believer  that  offered  them  has  been  many  years 
fleeping  in  the  duft. 


402  On  the  Relis'ious 


2.  The  truths  above  illuflrated,  fuggefl  important  ad- 
vices to  children,  that  is,  to  fuch  young  perfons  as  are  able 
to  underlland and  apply  them,  (i.)  Prefervea  tendernefs 
of  heart,  and  be  thankful  that  you  are  not  yet  hardened 
by  habitual  guilt,  nor  fentenced  to  perpetual  barrennefs 
by  the  judgment  of  a  righteous  God.  Elleem,  embrace, 
improve  the  precious  but  flying  feafon.  Hearken  to  the 
inflrudions  of  parents ;  the  admonitions  of  pallors ;  the 
leffons  of  providence,  and  the  diftates  of  God's  holy  fpirit 
fpeaking  by  the  confcience.  Think  of  the  amiablenefs 
of  early  piety  in  the  fight  of  men  ;  and  its  acceptablenefs  in 
the  fight  of  God — "  I  love  them  that  love  me,"  fays  he  by 
his  prophet ;  "  and  they  that  feek  me  early  lliall  find  me." 

(2.)  Be  not  faticfied  with,  or  truft  in  outvi^ard  privileges. 
If  you  are  the  children  of  pious  parents,  who  have  lived 
near  to  God  ;  if  you  have  been  favored  with  early  inftruc- 
tion,  unlefs  thefe  advantages  are  improved,  they  will  not 
plead  for,  but  againft  you  at  the  great  day.  This  is  the 
dictate  both.of  fcripture  and  reafon,  "  to  whomfoever  much 
"  is  given,  of  them  much  will  be  required."  There  is  a 
common  faying,  that  is  neither  agreeable  to  truth  nor 
experience,  and  yet  fometimes  obtains  belief  in  a  blinded 
world,  that  the  children  of  good  people  are  as  bad  as  any  : 
as  if  early  education,  which  is  of  fo  much  influence  in 
learning  every  thing  elfe,  fliould  have  no  effeft  in  religion. 
On  the  contrary,  where  do  we  expert  to  find  pious  youth, 
but  in  pious  families,  or  fober  and  induflrious  youth,  but 
in  fober  and  induflrious  families  ?  I  fliould  call  that  man 
prudent  in  the  conduct  of  life,  v/ho  in  the  choice  of  a  fer- 
vant,  an  apprentice,  or  a  partner  in  bufinefs,  would  pay 
iilmoft  as  much  attention  to  the  blood  and  parentage,  as  to 
the  perfon  with  whom  he  v/as  to  be  immediately  connect- 
ed. But  if  v/e  take  notice  of  V/hat  probably  gave  occa- 
■fion  to  the  mfTlake,  viz.  that  the  wicked  children  of  pious 
parents  are  the  worft  of  any,  it  is  a  truth  of  the  utmoft 
moment,  and  eafily  accounted  for.  They  burfl:  afunder 
the  llrongefi  ties,  thsy  are  under  the  unhappy  neceflity  of 
maftering  confcience  by  high  handed  wickednefs,  and 
commonly  come  to  fpeedy  and  deferved  ruin  :  "  He  that 
•*'  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neck,  lliall  fuddenly 
*'  be  dellroyed,  and  that  without  remedy." 


Education  of  Children.  403 

(3.)  Do  not  fatisfy  yourfelves  with  a  name  to  live  while 
you  are  dead.  Though  foine  yoiinyj  pcrfons,  rclioioully 
educated,  by  falling  into  dilTolute  Ibcicty,  become  open 
profligates,  there  are  others  who  retain  the  form  witliout 
the  lilc  of  religion:  Therefore,  if  nature  hath  given  you 
amiable  difpofitions  ;  if  thefe  have  been  cultivated  by  a 
p'ous  and  prudent  education  ;  if  you  feel  the  reftraint  of 
natural  confcience  ;  if  you  are  defirous  of  public  praife, 
or  afraid  of  public  fhame,  do  not  neglect  any  of  thefe  pre- 
fervatives  from  fm  ;  but  yet  endeavor  to  obtain,  and  fee 
that  you  be  governed  by  a  principle  fuperior  to  them  all, 
the  hope  of  final  acceptance  with  God  through  Chrill.  Afk 
of  him  to  give  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  fpirit,  to 
*'  create  you  a  new  in  Chrifi  Jefus  unto  good  works,  wliich 
"  God  hath  before  ordained,  that  we  fliould  walk  in  diem.'' 

In  the  laft  place,  this  fubjeft  fuggcRs  fomc  important 
inRruftions  to  the  heare?"s  of  the  gofpcl  in  general,  (i.) 
Lofe  no  time  in  providing  for  your  great  and  beft  interefi. 
Every  argument  that  tends  to  fliew  the  importance  of  ear- 
ly piety,  may  be  applied,  with  equal  or  greater  force,  tt> 
fliew  the  danger  of  delay  in  more  advanced  years.  What 
is  wife  or  amiable  in  youth,  is  neceflary  to  thofe  who  arc 
nearer  their  journey's  end.  But  confidering  myfelf  a.^; 
fpeaking  to  profefling  Chriflians,  wliat  I  would  earneftly 
advifc  you,  is,  to  apply  the  principles  above  laid  down,  to 
particular  purpofes,  as  well  as  to  your  general  condui-T;. 
if  confcience  or  providence  has  pointed  out  to  you  anv 
thing  that  you  may  do  to  advantage,  either  for  yourfelvcs 
or  others,  lofc  no  time  in  fetting  about  it,  becaufe  you  do 
not  know  how  little  time  may  be  yours  :  So  fays  the  wiiLr 
man,  Ecc.  ix.  10.  "  Whatfoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do, 
"  do  it  with  thy  might :  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device, 
"  nor  knowledge,  nor  wildom,  in  the  grave  whither  thou 
•'  goeft." 

(2.)  Do  not  forget  the  improvement  of  this  fabje^St, 
which  our  Saviour  hiinfclf  has  pointed  out;  imitate  ili.- 
temper  of  children ;  learn  to  lie  humble  and  teachable, 
gentle  and  ealy  to  be  intreated.  Both  watch  and  pr;. . 
againft  all  violent  attachments,  rude  and  boiileroas  p.ii- 
fions,  and  deep  rooted  refentmcnt.     Obferve  how  the  lit- 


404  Oti  the  Religious 

tie  lambs  lay  down  their  refentment,  and  forget  theif 
quarrels.  Under  this  particular,  it  is  proper  to  recom- 
mend a  decency  of  deportment,  and  a  contempt  of  all  va-- 
nity  and  affeclation,  as  well  as  fmiplicity  and  fmcerity  of 
fpeech,  and  a  contempt  of  all  artifice  and  refinement. 
The  apoflle  has  given  an  excellent  defcription  of  this, 
2  Cor.  i.  12.  "  For  our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  teilimony  of 
'•'•  our  confcience,  that  in  fnnplicity  and  godly  fincerity, 
*'  not  with  flelhly  wifdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we 
"  have  had  our  converfation  in  the  world." 

(3.)  Set  a  good  example  before  others  in  general,  but 
cfpecially  young  perfons.  The  old  rule,  Maxima  dcbetur 
pueris  reiserentia,  ought  to  be  pondered  as  well  as  recol- 
lected, it  is  of  much  importance  what  our  vifible  con- 
duct is,  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  becaufe  we  conti- 
nually contribute  to  form  each  others  tempers  and  habits  ; 
but  greater  caution  is  neceflary  in  prefence  of  young  per- 
ibns,  both  becaufe  they  are  moil  prone  to  imitation,  and 
becaufe  they  have  the  leaft  judgment  to  make  proper  dif- 
tinCiions,  or  to  refufe  the  evil,  and  choofe  the  good.  Some 
inftances  might  be  given,  in  which  things  might  be  faid 
or  done,  before  perfons  of  full  underftanding,  without  in- 
jury, that  could  not  be  done  without  injury,  or  at  leaft 
without  danger,  before  perfons  in  early  life. 

(4.)  In  the  laft  place,  be  not  wanting  in  your  endea- 
vors and  prayers  for  the  public  intereft  of  religion,  and 
the  profperity  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  Support,  by 
your  condudt  and  converfation,  the  public  credit  of  reli- 
gion.— A'Vhat  is  more  powerful  over  the  minds  of  men 
and  the  manners  of  the  age,  than  public  opinion.  It  is 
more  powerful  than  the  moil  fanguinary  laws.  And  what 
is  public  opinion  ?  It  is  formed  by  the  fentiments  that 
are  mod  frequently  heard,  and  moll  approved  in  conver- 
iation.  flad  Vv^e  a  jull  fenfe  of  the  importance  of  vifible 
religion,  what  a  powerful  principle  would  it  be  of  prudent, 
watchiul,  guarded  conduct  in  every  ilate  and  circumilance 
of  life.  Whatever  reaibn  there  may  be  to  complain  of 
the  frequency  of  hypocrily,  or  feeking  the  applauie  of  men, 
I  am  airaid  tliere  is  no  leis  reafbn  to  complain  of  the  want 
of  attention  to  that  precept  of  the  apoflle,  "  Look  not 


EducatioJi  of  Children.  405 

"  every  man  on  his  own  thinojs,  but  every  man  alfo  on 
"  the  things  of  others  ;"  or  ot"  our  Lord  himfclf,  Malt.  v. 
16.  "  Let  your  light  fo  fliine  before  men,  that  they 
*'  may  fee  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which 
"  is  in  heaven."  I  apprehend  that  thefe  feemingly  op- 
pofite  faults,  are  not  always  ieparatcd,  but  often  found  in 
the  fame  perfons ;  that  is  to  fay,  there  may  be  a  llrong 
defire  after,  and  endeavor  to  obtain  public  applaufe  by  a 
few  fplendid  and  popular  actions,  and  yet  but  little  at- 
tention to  that  prudent  and  exemplary  conduQ,  which 
promotes  public  ufefulncfs.  Confider  what  you  have  v 
heard,  and  the  Lord  give  you  underflanding  to  improve 
and  apply  it,  for  Chrilt's  fake.     Amen. 


Vol.  II.  -,  E 


C  407  ] 


>  eoM  MOt  «oe9  aooe  fl«oo  mm  ooao  0000  0000  0000  oooo  0000  oox  ecoo  0000  0000  mm  oom  oooa  aoot  e 

>  cooo  oooo  0000  oaoo  ooon  0000  eooo  oo«o  eooo  eooo  0000  oooo  0000  0000  oeeo  cooo  moo  tooo  0000  oooj  1 


The  dominion  of   PROVIDENCE   OVER  the 
PASSIONS  OF  MEN. 


SERMON. 


Preached  at  Princetoriy  onthe  \'^thof  May^\'T^(i.  Being 
the  General  Fast  appointed  by  the  Congress  through  the 
United  Colonies.  Dedicated  to  the  Hon.  John  Hancock^ 
Esq.  President  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  To  which  is  added,  an  Address  to  the  fiatives 
of  Scotland  residing  in  America. 


Psalm  Ixxvi.  10. 

Surely  the  Wrath  of  Man  shall  praise  thee ;  the  remaift- 
der  of  fVrath  shall  thou  restain. 

THERE  is  not  a  greater  evideiicc  eith£r  of  the  reality 
or  the  power  of  religion,  than  a  firm  belief  of  God's 
univerliil  prel'encc,  and  a  conflant  attention  to  the  influ- 
ence and  operation  of  his  providence.  It  is  by  this  means 
that  the  Chrillian  may  be  faid,  in  thecmphatical  fcripturc 
language,  "  to  walk  with  God,  and  to  endure  as  feeing 
''  him  who  is  invifible.*' 

The  doQrine  of  divine  providence  is  very  full  and  com- 
pfete  in  tlie  facred  oracles.     It  extends  not  only  to  things 


4q3  1'he  Dominion  of  Proiiidence 

\rhich  we  may  think  of  great  moTtient,  and  therefore  wor- 
thy of  notice,  but  to  things  the  moftindifierentjanciinconfi- 
derable  ;  "  Are  not  two  fparrows  fold  /or  a  iLrthing,"  fa/s 
our  Lord,  "  and  one  of  them  falleth  not  to  the  ground 
*'  without  your  heavenly  Father  ;  nay,  the  very  hairs  of 
"  your  head  are  all  numbered."  It  extends  not  only  to 
thino^s  beneficiaL.and  falutary,  or  to  the  diredion  and  af- 
fiflance  of  thofewho  are  the  fervants  of  the  living  God  ; 
but  to  things  feemingly  moft  hurtful  and  deftru6tive,  and 
to  perfons  the  moft  reiracloiy  and  difobedient.  He  over- 
rules  all  his  creatures,  and  ail  their  actions.  Thus  we 
are  told,  that  ''  iirb,  hail,  fnow,  vapour,  and  llormy  wind, 
"  fulfil  his  word,"  in  the  courfe  of  nature ;  and  even  fo 
the  moft  impetuous  and  diforderly  paffions  of  men,  that 
are  under  no  reftraint  from  themfelves,  are  yet  perfectly 
fubjedl  to  the. dominion  of  Jehovah.  They  carry  his  cofn- 
inillion,  they  obey  his  orders,  they  are  limited  and  re- 
itrained  by  his  authority,  and  they  confpire  with  every 
thing  elfe  in  promoting  his  glory.  There  is  the  greater 
need  to  take  notice  of  this,  that  men  are  not  generally  fuf- 
iicjently  aware  of  the  diftindion  between  the  law  of  God 
and  his  purpofe  ;  they  are  apt  to  fuppofe,  that  as  the  tem- 
per of  the  fmner  is  contrary  to  the  one,  fo  the  outrages  of 
the  fmner  are  able  to  defeat  the  other  ;  than  which  nothing 
can  be  more  falfe.  The  truth  is  plainly  aflerted,  and 
nobly  expreiled  by  the  Plalmift  in  the  text,  "  Surely  the 
"  wrath  of  man  fliall  praife  thee  ;  the  remainder  of  wrath 
*'  flialt  thou  reftrain." 

This  pfalm  was  evidently  compofed  as  a  fong  of  praife 
for  forne  fignal  vidory  obtained,  which  was  at  the  fam.e 
time  a  remarkable  deliverance  from  threatning  danger. 
The  author  was  one  or  other  of  the  later  prophets,  and 
the  occafion  probably  the  unfuccefsful  aflault  of  Jcrufalem, 
by  the  army  of  Sennacherib  king  of  Aflyria,  in  the  days  of 
Hezekiah.  Great  v/as  the  infolence  and  boafting  of  his 
generals  and  fervants  againft  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
as  may  be  feen  in  tlie  thirty-fixth  chapter  of  Ifaiah.  Yet 
it  pleafed  God  to  deftroy  their  enemies,  and,  by  his  own 
immediate  interpofition,  to  grant  them  deliverance. 
Therefore  the  Pfalmift  fays  in  the  fifth  and  lixth  verfes  of 


Over  the  Passions  of  Men.  409 

this  pfalm,  "  The  flout  hearted  are  fpoiled,  they  have 
"  flept  their  jfleep.  None  of  the  nieu  ot"  might  have  found 
*'  their  hands.  At  thy  rebuke,  O  God  of  Jacob  !  both  the 
•'  chariot  and  the  horfe  are  call  into  a  deep  lleep."  After 
a  few  more  remarks  to  the  fame  purpofc,  lie  draws  the  in- 
ference, or  makes  the  refledlion  in  the  text,  *'  Surely  tlic 
"  wrath  of  man  fhall  praife  thee  ;  tlic  remainder  of  wrath 
"  Ihalt  tliou  reffrain  :  which  may  be  paraphrafcd  thus. 
The  fur}-  and  injuilice  of  opprcflbrs,  Ihali  bring  in  a  tri- 
bute of  praile  to  thee;  the  influence  of  thy  righteous  pro- 
vidence fliull  be  clearly  difcerned  ;  tlie  countenance  and 
fupport  thou  wilt  give  10  thine  own  people  Ihall  be  glcri- 
ouily  illullrated;  thou  Ihalt  fet  the  bounds  which  tiie  bold- 
eft  cannot  pafs. 

I  am  fenlible,  my  brethren,  that  tlie  time  and  occafion 
of  this  pfalm,  may  feem  to  be  in  one  refpeCt  ill  fuited  to 
the  interelling  circumllances  of  this  country  at  prcfent. 
It  was  compofed  after  die  victory  was  obtained  ;  v.Jiereas 
we  are  now  but  putting  on  the  harnefs,  and  entering  upon 
an  important  contell,  the  length  of  v/hich  it  is  impoflible 
to  forelce,  and  the  ilTue  of  which  it  will  perhaps  be  thought 
prefumption  to  foretell.  But  as  the  truth,  with  refpe6l  to 
God's  moral  government,  is  the  fame  and  unchangeable  ; 
as  the  ilTue,  in  the  cafe  of  Sennacherib's  iiivafion,  did  but 
lead  the  prophet  to  acknowledge  it ;  our  duty  and  interelt 
confpire  in  calling  upon  us  to  improve  it.  And  1  have 
chofen  to  infill  upon  it  on  dsis  day  of  folcmn  humiliation, 
as  it  will  probably  help  us  to  a  clear  and  explicit  view  of 
what  fliould  be  the  chief  fubjeft  of  our  prayerf?  and  endea- 
vors, as  well  as  the  great  objecl  of  our  hope  and  trull,  in 
our  prefent  fituation. 

The  truth,  then,  aflertcd  in  this  text,  which  I  propofe 
to  illuflrate  and  improve,  is, — That  all  the  diforderly 
pailions  of  men  whether  cxpofmg  the  innocent  to  pri- 
vate injury,  or  wliether  they  are  the  arrows  of  divine 
judgment  in  public  calamity,  fliall,  in  tlie  end,  be  to 
the  praife  of  God :  Or,  to  apply  it  more  particularly 
to  the  prefent  Hate  of  the  American  Colonies,  and  the 
plague  of  war, —  '  The  ambition  of  miflaken  princes,  the 
ciRimng  and  cruelty  of  opprcffive  and  corrupt  minillers, 


41  o  The  Dominion  of  Proi^idencc 

and  even  the  inhumanity  of  brutal  foldicrs,  however 
dreadful,  jfhall  finally  promote  the  glory  of  God,  and  in 
the  mean  time,  v/hile  the  ftorm  continues,  his  mercy 
and  kindnefs  fcall  appear  in  prefcribing  bounds  to  their 
rage  and  fury. 

In  difcourfmg  of  this  fubje6l,  it  is  my  intention, 
through  the  affiftance  of  divine  grace, 

I.  To  point  out  to  you  in  fome  particulars,  how  the 
wrath  of  man  praifes  God. 

II.  To  apply  thefe  principles  to  our  prefent  fituation, 
by  inferences  of  truth  for  your  initruclion  and  comfort, 
and  by  fuitable  exhortations  to  duty  in  the  important 
crilis. 

In  the  first  place,  I  am  to  point  out  to  you  in  fome 
particulars,  how  the  wrath  of  man  praifes  God.  I  fay  in 
some  inftances,  becaufe  it  is  far  from  being  in  my  power, 
either  to  mention  or  explain  the  whole.  There  is  an  un- 
fearchable  depth  in  the  divine  counfels,  which  it  is  im- 
polTible  for  us  to  penetrate.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  good 
man  to  place  the  moll  unlimited  confidence  in  divine 
wifdom,  and  to  believe  that  thofe  meafures  of  providence 
that  are  moft  unintelligible  to  him,  are  yet  planned  with 
the  fame  iliill,  and  directed  to  the  fame  great  purpofes  as 
others,  the  reafon  and  tendency  of  v/hich  he  can  explain 
in  the  clearefl  manner.  Bu?t  where  revelation  and  expe- 
rience enables  us  to  difcover  the  wifJom,  equity,  or  mer- 
cy of  divine  providence,  nothing  can  be  more  delightful 
or  profitable  to  a  ferious  mind,  and  therefore  I  beg  your 
attention  to  the  following  remarks. 

In  the  firll  place,  the  wrath  of  man  praifes  God,  as  it 
is  an  example  and  illullration  of  divine  truth,  and  clearly 
points  out  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  wliich  is  the  foun- 
dation Hone  of  the  doctrine  of  redemption.  Nothing 
can  be  more  abfolutely  neceffary  to  true  religion,  than  a 
clear  and  full  conviftion  of  the  fmfulnefs  of  our  nature 
and  Hate.  Without  this  there  can  be  neither  repentance 
in  the  fmner,  nor  humility  in  the  believer.  Without  this 
all  that  is  faid  in  fcripture  of  the  wifdom  and  mercy  of 
God,  in  providing  a  Saviour,  is  without  force  and  with- 
out meaning.     Juitly  does  our  Saviour  fay,'  "  The  whole 


Cher  the  Passions  of  Men.  41 1 

*'  have  no  need  of  a  ghyfician,  but  thofe  that  are  Tick.  I 
"  came  not  to  call  the  righteous  but  finners  to  repentance." 
Thofe  who  are  not  fenfible  that  they  are  finncrs,  will  treat 
every  exhortation  to  repentance,  and  every  ofi'cr  of  mer- 
cy, witli  dilclain  or  defiance. 

But  where  can  we  have  a  more  aflecling  view  of  the 
corruption  of  our  nature,  than  in  the  wrath  of  man,  when 
exerting  itfelf  in  opprefhon,  cruelty,  and  blood.  It  mufl 
be  owned,  indeed,  that  this  truth  is  abundantly  manifcft  in 
times  of  the  grcatefl:  tranquillity.  Others  may,  if  they 
pleafe,  treat  the  corruption  of  our  nature  as  a  chimera : 
for  my  part,  I  fee  it  every  where,  and  I  feel  it  every  day. 
All  the  difordcrs  in  human  fociety,  and  the  grcatcll  part 
even  of  the  unhappinefs  we  are  expofed  to,  arifes  from  the 
envy,  malice,  covetoufnefs,  and  other  lulls  of  man.  If 
we  and  all  about  us  were  juft  what  we  ought  to  be  in  all 
refpeds,  we  lliould  not  need  to  go  any  further  for  heaven, 
for  it  would  be  upon  earth.  But  war  and  violence  pre- 
fent  a  fpeftacle,  iYiW  more  awful.  How  affeding  is  it  to 
think,  that  the  lull  of  domination  lliould  be  fo  violent  and 
univerfal  ?  That  men  lliould  fo  rarely  be  fatisfied  with 
their  own  poireflions  and  acquifitions,  or  even  with  the 
benefit  that  would  arife  from  mutual  fcrvice,  but  fliould 
look  upon  the  happinefs  and  tranquillity  of  others,  as  an 
obftruftion  to  their  own.  That,  as  if  the  great  law  of  na- 
ture, were  not  enough,  "  Dull  thou  art,  and  to  dull  thou 
*'  flialt  return,"  they  fhould  be  fo  furioufly  fet  for  the  dc- 
ilru6lion  of  each  other.  It  is  fliocking  to  think,  fince  the 
firfl  murder  of  Abel  by  his  brother  Caii>  what  havock  has 
been  made  of  man  by  man  in  every  age.  What  is  it  that 
fills  the  pages  of  hiilory,  but  the  wars  and  contentions  of 
princes  and  empires  ?  What  vafi;  numbers  has  lawlefs  am- 
bition brought  into  the  field,  and  delivered  as  a  prey  to  the 
deflruflivc  Iword  ? 

ir  we  dwell  a  little  w^n  the  circumfianccs,  they  become 
deeply  affecling.  Tlie  mother  bears  a  child  with  pain, 
rears  him  by  the  laborious  attendance  of  many  years  ;  yet 
in  the  prime  of  lilb,  in  the  vigor  of  health,  and.  bloom  of 
beauty,  in  a  moment  he  is  cut  down  by  the  dreadful  in- 
ftruments  of  death.     "  Every  battle  of  the  warrior  is  with 


41?  ^he  Dctninion  of  Provule?ice 

*'  confufed  noife,  and  garments  rollegl  in  blood  ;"  but  the 
horror  of  the  icene  is  not  confined  to  the  iield  ofikvUghier. 
Few  go  there  unrelated,  or  fall  unlamented ;  in  every 
hoflile  encounter,  what  mull  be  the  imprellion  upon  the 
relations  of  the  deceafed  ?  The  bodies  of  the  dead  can  only 
be  feen,  or  the  cries  of  the  dying  heard  for  a  fingle  day, 
but  many  days  fhall  not  put  an  end  to  the  mourning  of 
a  parent  for  a  beloved  fon,  the  joy  and  fupport  of  his 
age,  or  of  the  widow  and  helplefs  offspring  for  a  father,  ta- 
ken away  in  the  fullnefs  of  health  and  vigor. 

But  if  this  may  be  juftly  faid  of  all  wars  between  man 
and  man,  what  fliall  v/e  be  able  to  fay  that  is  fuitable  to  the 
abhorred  fcene  of  civil  war  between  citizen  and  citizen  ? 
How  deeply  affefting  is  it,  that  thofe  who  are  the  fame  in 
complexion,  the  fame  in  blood,  in  language,  and  in  religi- 
on, Ihould,  notwithftanding,  butcher  one  another  with  un- 
relenting rage,  and  glory  in  the  deed  ?  That  men  Ihould 
lay  wafte  the  fields  of  their  fellow  fubjefts,  with  v/hofe  pro- 
vifion  they  themfelves  had  been  often  fed,  and  confume 
with  devouring  fire  thofe  houfes,  in  which  they  had  often 
found  a  hofpitable  llieker. 

Thefe  things  are  apt  to  overcome  a  weak  mind  with 
fear,  or  overwhelm  it  with  forrow,  and  in  the  greateft 
number  are  apt  to  excite  the  higheil  indignation,  and  kin- 
dle up  a  fpirit  of  revenge.  If  this  lafl:  has  no  other  ten- 
dency than  to  direft  and  invigorate  the  meafures  of  feif- 
defencc,  I  do  not  take  upon  me  to  blame  it,  on  the  con- 
trary, 1  call  it  neceffary  and  laudable. 

But  v/hat  I  mean  at  this  time  to  prove  by  the  preceding 
reflections,  and  wifli  to  imprefs  on  your  minds,  is  the 
depravity  of  our  nature.  James  iv.i.  "  From  whence  come 
"  wars  and  fighting  among  you,  come  they  not  hence  even 
"  from  your  lulls  that  war  in  your  members."  Men  of 
lax  and  corrupt  principles,  take  great  delight  in  fpeaking 
to  the  praifc  of  human  nature,  and  extolling  its  dignity, 
without  dilHnguiihing  what  it  was,  at  its  firfl  creation, 
from  what  it  is  in  its  prefent  fallen  flate.  Thefe  fine  fpc- 
culations  are  very  grateful  to  a  worldly  mind.  They  are  al- 
fo  much  more  pernicious  to  uncautious  and  unthinking 
youth,  than  even  the  temptations  to  a  diffokite  and  fenfu- 


o'oer  the  Pass'ions  of  Men.  41^ 

al  life,  agalnfl  vvhick  they  are  fortified  by  the  di^lates  of 
natural  confcience,  and  a  fenfe  of  public  fliame.  But  I 
appeal  iVom  thefe  vifionary  reafonings  to  the  hiilory  of  all 
ages,  and  the  inflexible  teftimony  of  daily  experience. 
Thefe  \vill  tell  us  what  nien  have  been  in  their  practice, 
and  from  thence  you  may  judge  what  they  are  by  nature, 
while  unrenewed.  If  I  am  not  miftaken,  a  cool  and  can- 
did attention,  either  to  the  pad  hiftory,  or  prefent  flate  of 
the  world,  but  above  all,  to  the  ravages  of  lawlefs  power, 
ought  to  humble  us  in  the  dull.  It  Ihould  at  once  lead  us 
to  acknowledge  the  jufl  view  given  us  in  fcripture,  of  our 
lofl  (late  ;  todeiire  the  happy  influence  of  renewing  grace 
each  for  ourfelves  ;  and  to  long  for  the  dominion  of  righte- 
oufnefs  and  peace,  when  "  men  fliall  beat  their  fvvords 
**  into  plow  fhares,  and  their  fpears  into  pruning  hooks  ; 
"  when  nation  fhall  not  lift  up  fword  againft  nation,  nei- 
*'  ther  fhall  they  learn  war  any  more.*'*     Mic.  iv.  3; 

*  I  cannot  help  embracing  tliis  opportunity  of  making  a  remark  of 
two  upon  a  virulent  refledlion  thrown  out  agai.)!!:  this  doctrine  in  a 
well  known  pamphlet,  Common  Sense.  'I'he  author  of  that  work  ex- 
preffes  himlelf  thus :  "  If  the  firil  king  «f  any  country  was  by  eljc- 
"  tion,  that  likewife  eflabliflies  a  precedent  for  the  next;  for  to  fay, 
"  that  the  right  of  all  future  generations  is  taken  away,  by  the  acl  of 
"  the  firft  electors,  in  their  choice  not  only  of  a  king,  but  of  a  family 
"  of  kings  forever,  hath  no  parallel  in  or  out  of  fcripture,  but  the 
"  doclrine  of  original  fin,  \Thich  fuppofes  the  free  will  of  all  men  lofl 
*'  in  Adam  ;  and  from  fuch  compariion,  and  it  will  admit  of  no 
"  other,  hereditaiy  fuccefTion  can  derive  no  glory.  For  as  in  Adam 
*'  all  fmncd,  and  as  in  the  i'n{\  eleftors  all  men  obeyed  ;  as  in  the  one 
"  all  mankind  were  fabjcvUed  to  Satan,  and  in  the  other  to  fovereign- 
"  ty  ;  as  our  innocence  was  lofl;  in  the  full,  and  our  authority  in  the 
*'  laft ;  and  as  both  difable  u-;  from  re-alTuming  fome  former  Hate  and 
*'  privilege,  it  unanfwerably  follows  that  original  fin  and  hereditary 
"  fucceQion  are  parallels.  DlHionorable  rank  !  Inglorious  connection  i 
"  Yet  the  mod  fubtle  Ibphifl  cannot  produce  a  julkr  limile."*  With» 
out  the  fliadow  of  realoning,  he  is  pleafed  to  rcprefcnt  the  docftrine  of 
original  fin  as  an  objedl  of  contempt  or  abhorrence.  I  beg  leave  to 
demur  a  little  to  the  candor^  the  prudence^  and  the  justice  of  tiiis  pro- 
ceeding. 

I.  Was  it  modest  or  candid  for  a  perfon  without  name  or  charac- 
ter, to  talk  in  this  fupercilious  manner  of  a  dodriac  that  has  been  cf- 


*  Common  Sense^  page  1 1 ,  Bradford's  Editions 

Vol.  l\.  3  F 


414-  ^^  Dominion  of  Provident  f 

2.  The  wrath  of  man  praifeth  God,  as  it  Is  the  inllru- 
meiit  in  his  hand  for  bringing  linners  to  repentance,  and 
for  the  correction  and  improvement  of  his  own  children. 
V/hatever  be  the  nature  of  the  affliction  with  which  he 
vifits  either  perfons,  families,  or  nations  ;  whatever  be  the 
difpofition  or  Intention  of  thofe  whofe  malice  he  employs 
as  a  fcourge,  the  defign  on  his  part  is,  to  rebuke  men  for 
iniquity,  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  and  to  promote 
their  holinefs  and  peace.  The  falutary  nature,  and  fanc- 
tifying  influence  of  affliftion  in  general,  is  often  taken  no- 
tice of  in  fcripture,  both  as  making  a  part  of  the  purpofe  of 
God,  and  the  experience  of  his  faints.  Heb.  xii.  ii. 
*'  Now,  no  affliction  for  the  prefent  fecmeth  to  be  joyous, 
*'  but  grievous :  Neverthelefs  afterwards  it  yieldetli  the 
"  peaceable  fruit  of  righteoufnefs  unto  them,  which  are  ex- 

poufed  and  defended  by  many  of  the  greated  and  beft  men  that  the 
world  ever  faw,  and  makes  an  effential  part  of  the  eftabliQied  Creeds 
and  Confeffions  of  all  the  Proteftant  churches  wiLhout  exception  ?  I 
thought  the  grand  modern  plea  had  been  freedom  of  fentiment,  and 
charitable  thoughts  of  one  another.  Are  fo  many  of  us,  then,  beyond 
the  reach  of  this  gentlcrman's  charity  ?  I  do  afTure  him  that  fuch  pre- 
fumption  and  felf-ccnfidence  are  no  recommendation  to  me  either  of 
his  charadler  or  fentiments. 

2.  Was  it  prudent,  when  he  was  pleading  a  public  caufe,  to  fpeak 
in  fuch  opprobrious  terms  of  a  dodlrine,  which  he  knew  or  ought  to 
have  known  was  believed  and  profefTcd  by,  I  fuppoie,  a  great  majority 
of  very  different  denominations.  Is  this  gentleman  ignorant  of  hu- 
man nature,  as  well  as  an  enemy  to  the  Chriflian  faith  ?  Are  men 
fo  litile  tenacious  of  their  religious  fentim.ents,  whether  true  or  falfe  ? 
The  prophet  thought  othervvife,  who  faid,  Hath  a  nation  changed  their 
pods  which  jet  are  no  gcds  ?  Was  it  the  way  to  obtain  the  favor  of 
the  public,  to  defplfe  what  they  hold  facred  ?  Or  flTall  we  fuppofethis 
author  fo  aftonifliingly  ignorant,  as  to  think  that  all  men  now,  whofe 
favor  is  worth  alking,  have  given  up  the  doftrine  of  the  New  Tella- 
ment.     If  he  does,  he  is  greatly  miftaken. 

3.  In  fiiie,  I  afk,  where  was  the  justice  of  this  proceeding  ?  Is 
there  fo  little  to  be  faid  for  the  dofcrine  of  original  fin,  that  it  is  not  to 
be  refuted,  but  defpifed  ?  Is  the  ftate  of  the  world  fuch,  as  to  render 
this  docArine  not  only  falfe,  but  incredible  ?  Has  the  fruit  been  of  fuch 
a  quality  as  to  exclude  all  doubts  of  the  goodnefs  of  the  tree  ?  On  the 
contrary,  I  cannrthelp  being  of  opinion,  that  fuch  has  been  the  vifible 
{late  of  the  warld  in  every  age,  as  cannot  be  accounted  for  on  any 
other  pririCi^Jes,  than  what  we  learn  from  the  word  of  God,  that  ths 
imap-inatiun  of  the  heart  of  man  is  only  evil  from  bis.jouth,  and  that 
continuallj.     Gen.  vi.  5. — viii.  21. 


ov(rr  the  Passions  of  Men.  415 

*'  ercifed  thereby."     But  what  we  are  particularly  led  to 
obferve  by  the  lubjcdl  ol'  this  difcourfe  is,  that  the  wrath 
of  man,   or  die  violence  ol'dic  oppreffor  praifeth  God  in 
this  rcfpedl ;  for  it  has  a  peculiar  tendency  to  alarm  the 
fecure  confcience,  to  convince  and  humble  the  obltinate 
fniner.     This  is  plain  from  the  nature  of  the  tiling,  and 
from  the   teflimony  of  experience.     Public   calamities, 
particularly  the  deflroying  fword,  is  fo  awful  that  it  caiinot 
but  have  a  powerful  influence  in  leading  men  to  confider 
the  pre  fence  and  the  power  of  God.      It  threatens  them 
not  only  in   themfelves,  but  touches  them  in  all  that  is 
dear  to  them,  whether  relations  or  poUelHons.     The  pro- 
phet Ifaiah  fays,  If  xxvi.  8,  9.  "  Yea,  in  the  way  of  thy 
"  judgments,  O  Lord,   have   wc  waited  for   thee, — for 
"  when  thy  judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of 
*'  the  world  will  learn  righteoufnefs."     He  confiders  it  as 
the  mofl  powerful  mean  of  alarming  the  fecure  and  fubdu- 
ingtheobllinate.     If.  xxvi.  11.  "  Lord  when  thy  hand  is 
*'  lifted  up,  they  will  not  fee,  but  they  fhalj  fee  and  be 
"  aflnmed  for   their  envy  at  the  people,  yea  the  fire  of 
"  thine  enemies  Ihall  devour  them."     It  is  alio  Ibinetimcs 
reprefented  as  a  fymptom  of  a  hopelefs  and  irrecoverable 
flate,  when  public  judgments  have  no  effect.     Thus  fays 
the  prophet  Jeremiah,  Jer.  v.  3.  "  O  Lord,  are  not  thine 
"  eyes  u])on  the  truth  ?  thou  haft  llricke'n  them,  but  they 
''  have  not  grieved;  thou  haft  confumed  them, but  they  have 
'^  refufed  to  receive  correction  :   they  have  made  their  fa- 
"  ces  harder  than  a  rock,   they  have  refufed  to  return." 
We  can  eafily  fee  in  the  hiftory  of  the  children  of  Ifracl, 
how  fevere  ftrokes  brought  them  to  fubmiifion  and  peni- 
tence. Pf  Ixxviii.  34, 35.  "  When  he  flew  them,  then  they 
"  fought  him,   and  they  returned  and  inquired  early  alter 
"  God,  and  they  remembered  that  God  v^^as  their  rock, 
"  and  the  high  God  their  redeemer." 

Both  nations  in  general,  and  privat2  perfons  are  apt  to 
grow  re  mi  Is  and  lax  in  a  time  of  profperity  and  feeming 
fecurity  ;  but  when  their  earthly  comforts  are  endangere  L 
or  Avithdrawn,  it  lays  them  under  a  kind  of  nccefTity  to 
feek  for  fomcthing  better  in  their  place.  JMcn  niuft  have 
comfort  from   one  quarter  or  another.     When   earJiiy 


41 6  The  Dominion  of  Promclence 

things  are  in  a  pleafmg  and  promifing  condition,  too  ma- 
ny are  apt  to  find  their  reft,  and  be  fatisfied  with  them 
as  their  only  portion.  But  when  the  vanity  and  puffing 
nature  of  all  created  comfort  is  difcovered,  they  are  com- 
pelled to  look  for  fomething  more  durable  as  well  as  valu- 
able. What  therefore,  can  be  more  to  the  praife  of  God, 
than  that  when  a  whole  people  have  forgotten  their  refting 
place,  when  they  have  abufed  their  privileges,  and  defpi- 
led  their  mercies,  they  fliould  by  diilrefs  and  fufferlng  be 
made  to   hearken   to  the  rod,  and  return  to  their  duty. 

There  is  an  inexprefiible  depth  and  variety  in  the  judg- 
ments of  God,  as  in  all  his  other  -works  ;  but  we  may  lay 
down  this  as  a  certain  principle,  that  if  ihere  were  no  fm, 
there  could  be  no  fuffering.  Therefore  they  are  certainly 
for  the  corredion  of  fin,  or  for  the  trial,  illufiration,  and 
perfecting  of  the  grace  and  virtue  of  his  ov/n  people.  We 
are  not  to  fuppofe,  that  thofe  who  fufFer  moil,  or  who  fuf- 
fer  foonefi;,  are  therefore  more  criminal  than  others.  Our 
Saviour  himfelf  thought  it  ncceflary  to  give  a  caution  againfl: 
this  rafli  conclufion,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  evangelifi: 
Luke,  Lukexiii.  i.  "  There  were  prefent  at  that  I'eafon 
"  fome  that  told  him  of  the  Galileans,  whofe  blood  Pilate 
*'  had  mingled  with  their  facrifices.  And  Jefus  anfwering 
"  faid  unto  them,  Suppofe  ye  that  thefe  Galileans  were 
"  finners  above  all  the  Galileans,  becaufe  they  fufiered 
*'  fuch  things,  I  tell  you  nay,  but  except  ye  repent,  ye 
"  fliall  all  likewife  perifli."  I  fuppofe  we  may  fay  v^-ith 
fufficient  warrant,  that  it  often  happens,  that  thofe  for 
whom  God  hath  defigns  of  the  greateft  mercy,  are  firll 
brought  to  the  trial,  that  they  may  enjoy  in  due  time,  the 
falutary  efFeft  of  the  unpalatable  medicine. 

I  mufi;  alfo  take  leave  to  obferve,  and  I  hope  no  pious 
humble  fafferer  will  be  unwilling  to  make  the  application, 
that  there  is  often  a  difcernible  mixture  of  foverignty  and 
righteoufnefs  in  providential  difpenfations.  It  is  the  pre- 
rogative of  God  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own,  but  he 
often  difplays  his  juilice  itfelf,  by  throwing  into  the  furnace 
thofe,  who,  thougii  they  may  not  be  vifibly  worfe  than 
others,  may  yet  have  more  to  anfwer  for,  as  having  been 
favored  with  more  difiinguiflied  privileges,  both  civil  and 


over  the  Passiofis  of  Men,  41  y 

facred.  It  is  impolTibk  for  us  to  make  a  jufl  and  full  com* 
parilbn  of  the  charatler  either  of  perfons  or  nations,  and 
it  would  be  extremely  foolilh  for  any  to  attempt  it,  either 
for  increafing  their  own  fecurity,  or  impeaching  the  jullicc 
of  the  Sui)reme  Ruler.  Let  us  therefore  neither  forget  the 
truth,  nor  go  beyond  it.  "  His  mercy  fills  the  earth.'' 
He  is  alfo*'  known  by  the  judgment  which  he  executeth.'* 
The  wrath  of  man  in  its  molt  tempefluous  rage,  fulfills  his 
will,  and  finally  promotes  the  good  of  his  chofen. 

3.  The  wrath  of  man  praifeth  God,  as  he  lets  bounds 
to  it,  or  reli rains  it  by  his  providence,  and  fometimes 
makes  it  evidently  a  mean  of  promoting  and  illuftrating 
his  glory. 

There  is  no  part  of  divine  providence  inwhich  a  great- 
er beauty  and  majefty  appears,  than  when  the  Almighty 
Ruler  turns  the  councils  of  wicked  men  into  confufion, 
and  makes  them  militate  againll  themfelves.  If  the 
pfalmid  may  be  thought  to  have  had  a  view  in  this  text  to 
the  truths  iliuRrated  in  the  two  former  obfervations,  there 
is  no  doubt  at  all  that  he  had  a  particular  view  to  this,  as  he 
fa)  s  in  the  latter  part  of  the  verfe,  "  the  remainder  of  wrath 
flialt  thou  refirain."  The  fcripture  abounds  with  inftan- 
ces,  in  which  the  defigns  of  oppreffors  were  either  wholly 
difappointed,  or  in  execution  fell  far  fhort  of  the  mahceof 
their  intention,  and  in  fome  they  turned  out  to  the  honor 
and  happinefs  of  the  perfons  or  the  people,  whom  they 
were  intended  to  dcftroy.  "\\^e  have  an  inftance  of  the 
firft  of  thefe  in  the  hiltory  to  which  my  text  relates.* 
We  have  alio  an  inftance  in  EUher,  in  which  the  mofl: 
mifchievous  defigns  of  Haman,  the  fon  of  Hamedatha  the 
Agagite  againfl  Mordecai  the  Jew,  and  the  nation  from 
which  he  fprung,  turned  out  at  lall  to  his  own  defiru£lion, 
the  honor  of  Mordecai,  and  the  falvation  and  peace  of  his 
people. 

From  the  New  Tefiament  I  will  make  choice  of  that 
memorable  event  on  which  the  falvation  of  believers  in 
every  age  refis  as  its  foundation,  the  death  and  fufl'erings 
of  the  Son  of  God.     This  the  great  advcrlary  and  all  his 

*  The  matter  is  fully  ftated  and  reafoiied  upon  by  tlic  prophet 
Ifaiali  cli.  X.  fiom  the  5th  to  the  igih  verfe. 


41 3  ^he  Dominion  of  Promdencc 

agents  and  inflruments  profecuted  with  unrelenting  rage. 
"When  they  had  blackened  him  with  flander,  when  they 
fcourged  him  with  Ihame,  when  they  had  condemned  him 
in  judgment,  and  nailed  him  to  the  crofs,  how  could  they 
help  eileeming  their  vidlory  complete  ?  But  oh  the  un- 
fearcheabie  wifdorn  of  God  !  they  were  but  perfefting  the 
great  defign  laid  for  the  falvation  of  finners.  Our  blelTed 
Redeemer  by  his  death  finiflied  his  work,  overcame 
principalities  and  powers,  and  made  a  Ihew  of  them 
openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  his  crofs.  With  how 
much  juflice  do  the  apoflles  and  their  company  offer  this 
doxology  to  God,  "  They  lift  up  their  voice  with  one  ac- 
*'  cord,  and  faid,  Lord  thou  art  God  which  haft  made  hea- 
"  ven  and  earth,  and  the  fea,  and  all  that  in  them  is ; 
*'  Who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  fervant  David  haft  faid,  Why 
"  did  the  Heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  vain 
*'  things.  The  kings  of  the  earth  ftood  up,  and  the  rulers 
"  were  gathered  together  againft  the  Lord,  and  againft  his 
"  Chrift.  For  of  a  truth,  againft  thy  holy  Child  Jefus, 
"  whom  thou  haft  anointed  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pi- 
*'  late,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Ifrael  were 
'•'•  gathered  together,  for  to  do  whatfoever  thy  hand  and  thy 
"  counfel  determined  before  to  be  done."  A6ts  iv.  24.  28. 

In  all  after  ages  in  conformity  to  this,  the  deepcft  laid 
contrivances  of  the  prince  of  darknefs,  have  turned  out  to 
the  confufion  of  their  author ;  and  I  know  not,  but  con- 
fidering  his  malice  and  pride,  this  perpetual  difappoint- 
ment,  and  the  fuperiority  of  divine  wifdom,  may  be  one 
great  fource  of  his  fuffering  and  torment.  The  crofs 
hath  ftill  been  the  banner  of  truth,  under  which  it  hatli 
been  carried  through  the  world.  Perfecution  has  been 
but  as  the  furnace  to  the  gold  to  purge  it  of  its  drofs,  to 
manifeft  its  purity,  and  increafe  its  luftre.  It  was  taken 
notice  of  very  early,  that  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  the 
feed  of  chriftianity  ;  the  more  abundantly  it  was  flied,  the 
more  plentihilly  did  the  harveft  grow. 

So  certain  has  this  appeared,  that  the  moft  violent  in- 
fidels, both  of  early  and  later  ages,  have  endeavored  to  ac- 
count for  it,  and  have  obferved  that  there  is  3,  fpirit  of  ob- 
ftinacy  in  man  which  inclines  him  to  refift  violence,  and 


over  the  Passions  of  Men.  419 

that  feverlty  doth  but  increafe  oppolition,  be  the  caafc 
what  it  win.  They  iuppofe  that  perfecution  js  equally 
proper  to  propagate  truth  and  error.  This  thouj^li  in 
part  true,  will  by  no  means  generally  hold.  Such  an  ap- 
prchenlion  however  gave  occafion  to  a  glorious  triumph 
of  divine  providence  of  an  oppofite  kind,  which  I  mull 
fliortly  relate  to  you.  One  of  the  Roman  emperors,  Ju- 
lian, furnamed  the  apoftate,  perceiving  how  impofTible  it 
was  to  fupprefs  the  gofpel  by  violence,  endeavored  to  ex- 
tinguifh  it  by  negledt  and  fcorn.  He  left  the  Chriftians  un- 
molcfled  forfometime,  but  gave  all  manner  of  encourage- 
ment to  thofc  of  oppofite  principles,  and  particularly  to 
the  Jews,  out  of  hatred  to  the  ChriRians ;  and  that  he 
might  bring  public  difgrace  upon  the  Galileans,  as  lie  ai- 
fc6ted  to  llile  them,  he  encouraged  the  Jews  to  rebuild  the 
temple  of  Jerufalem,  and  vifibly  refute  the  prophecy  of 
Chrill,  that  it  fliould  lie  under  perpetual  delblalion.  But 
this  profane  attempt  was  fo  fignally  fruftrated,  that  it 
ferved  as  much  as  any  one  circumllance  to  fpread  the 
glory  of  our  Redeemer,  and  eflablifli  the  faith  of  his  faints. 
It  is  affirmed  by  fome  ancient  authors,  particularly  by 
Ammianus  Marcellinus,  a  heathen  hiilorian,  that  fire 
came  out  of  the  earth  and  confumed  the  v/orkmen  w  hen 
laying  the  foundation.  But  in  whatever  way  it  was  pre- 
vented, it  is  beyond  all  controverfy,  from  the  concurring 
tellimony  of  Heathens  and  Chriftians,  that  little  or  no 
progrefs  was  ever  made  in  it,  and  that  in  a  Ihort  time,  it 
was  entirely  defeated. 

It  is  proper  here  to  obferve  that  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
formation, when  religion  began  to  revive,  nothing  contri- 
buted more  to  facilitate  its  reception,  and  increafe  its  pro- 
grefs than  the  violence  of  its  perfccutors.  Their  cruelty 
and  the  patience  of  the  fufFerers,  naturally  difpofed  men 
to  examine  and  weigh  the  caufe  to  which  they  adhered 
with  fo  much  conflancy  and  rcfolution.  At  the  fame 
time  alio,  when  they  were  perfecutetl  in  one  city,  they 
fled  to  another,  and  carried  the  difcoveries  of  Popiih  fraud 
to  every  part  of  the  world.  It  v/as  by  fome  of  ihofc  who 
were  pcrfecuted  in  Germany,  that  the  light  of  the  reforma- 
tion was  brought  fo  early  into  Britain. 


420  The  Dominion  of  Promdence 

The  power  of  divine  providence  appears  with  the  moft 
diftinguifhed  luftre,  when  fmall  and  inconfiderable  cir- 
cumftances,  and  fometimes,  the  weather  and  feafons  have 
defeated  tlie  moft  formidable  armaments,  and  fruftrated 
the  beft  concerted  expeditions.  Near  two  hundred  years 
ago,  the  monarchy  of  Spain  was  in  the  height  of  its  power 
and  glory,  and  determined  to  crufli  the  intereft  of  the  re- 
formation. They  fent  out  a  powerful  armament  againft 
Britain,  giving  it  oftentatioufly,  and  in  my  opinion  pro- 
fanely, the  name  of  the  Invincible  Armada.  But  it 
pieafed  God  fo  entirely  to  difcomfit  it  by  tempefts,  that  a 
Imall  part  of  it  returned  home,  though  no  Britifli  force  had 
been  oppofed  to  it  at  all. 

We  have  a  remarkable  inftance  of  the  influence  of 
fmall  circumftances  in  providence  in  the  Englifli  hiftory. 
The  two  moft  remarkable  perfons  in  the  civil  wars,  had 
earneftly  defired  to  withdraw  themfelves  from  the  conten- 
tions of  tlie  times,  Mr.  Hampden  and  Oliver  Cromwell. 
They  had  actually  taken  their  paffage  in  a  fhip  for  New- 
England,  when  by  an  arbitraiy  order  of  council  they  were 
compelled  to  remain  at  home.  The  confequence  of  this 
was,  that  one  of  them  was  the  foul  of  the  republican  op- 
pofition  to  monarchical  ufurpation  during  the  civil  wars, 
and  the  other  in  the  courfe  of  that  conteft,  was  the  great 
inftrument  in  bringing  the  tyrant  to  the  block. 

The  only  other  hiftorical  remark  I  am  to  make,  is,  that 
the  violent  pcrfecution  which  many  eminent  Chriftians 
met  with  in  England  from  their  brethren,  who  called 
themfelves  Proteftants,  drove  them  in  great  numbers  to  a 
diftant  part  of  the  u'orld,  where  the  light  of  the  gofpel 
and  true  religion  were  unknown.  Some  of  the  Ameri- 
can fettlements,  particularly  thofe  in  New-England,  were 
chiefly  made  by  them ;  and  as  they  carried  the  know- 
ledge of  Chrift  to  the  dark  places  of  the  earth,  fo  they 
continue  themfelves  in  as  great  a  degree  of  purity  of 
faith,  and  Itriftnefs  of  praftice,  or  rather  a  greater  than  is 
to  be  found  in  any  proteftant  church  now  in  the  world. 
Does  not  the  wrath  of  man  in  this  inftance  praife  God  ? 
Was  not  the  accufer  of  the  brethren,  who  jtirs  up  their 
enemies,  thus  taken  in  his  ov/n  craftinefs,  and  his  king- 


ever  the  Passions  of  Men,  421: 

c'o'.n  fhaken  by  tlic  very  means  which  lie  cmp]o}ed  to 
ellublifli  it.* 

ir.  I  proceed  now  to  tlie  fecond  general  head,  which 
was  to  apply  the  ])rincipl?s  ilhiflrated  above  to  otir  jM-e- 
fent  fituation,  by  iiiicrences  of  truth  for  your  inflructioii 
and  comlbrt,  and  by  fuitable  exhortations  to  duty  in  this 
important  crifis.     And, 

In  the  ftrll  place,.  I  would  take  the  opportunity  on  this 
occafion,  and  from  this  fubjcft,  to  prefs  every  hearer  to  a 
fuiccre  concern  for  his  own  foul's  falvation.  There  are 
times  when  the  mind  may  be  cxpecti^d  to  be  more  awake 
to  divine  truth,  and  tlie  confcience  more  open  to  tiic  ar- 
rows of  conviction  than  at  others.  A  fcafon  of  public 
judgment  is  of  this  kind,  as  appears  from  what  has  been 
already  faid.  That  curiofity  and  attention  at  leafi:  are 
ralfcd  in  fonie  degree  is  {"lain  from  the  unufual  throng  of 
this  aflcmbly.  Can  you  Iiavc  a  clearer  view  of  the  fi..ful- 
nefs  of  your  nature,  than  when  the  rod  of  the  opprellbr  is 
lifted  up,  and  when  you  fee  men  putting;  on  the  habit  of 
the  warrior,  and  collevlling  on  every  hand  the  weapons  of 
hoflility  and  inAruments  of  death  ?  I  do  not  blame  your 
:irdor  in  preparing  for  the  refolute  defence  of  your  tem- 
poral rights.  But  confider  I  befeech  you,  the  truly  infi- 
nite importance  of  the  falvation  of  your  fouls.  Is  it  of 
much  moment  whether  you  and  your  children  fliall  be 
rich  or  poor,  at  liberty  or  in  bonds  ?  Is  it  of  much  moment 
whether  this  beautiful  country  flrail  increase  in  fruitfulnefs 
from  year  to  year  being  cultivated  by  active  induftiy,  and 
poffelied  by  independent  freemen,  or  tiie  fcanty  produce 
of  the  ncgleded  fields  Ihall  be  eaten  up  by  huncjry  pub- 
licans, while  the  timid  owner  trembles  at  the  tax  patiicr- 
crs  approach  ?  And  is  it  of  IclS  moment  my  bre;:hrenj 
whether  you  iliall  be  tiie  heirs  of  glory  or  the  heirs  of  hell  ? 

*  I.cfl  this  fliculJ  be  thniiglit  a  teiriijoilhn j  compliment  to  the 
ri'-o^jlc  of  New-lMiglai.d,  -who  have  been  tbc  firi\  riiHerers  in  th<*  pre- 
li.nt  cnnteR,  and  have  fet  fo  nubb  an  cxam:'le  of  invincible  forit'.idc, 
in  \vi:!ifta:idiii5  ^''^  violence  of  opiireiTion,  I  I'nirtk  it  proper  to  <b';li\A; 
that  tlie  whcle  para.-^raph  is  copied  from  a  fermon  en  Wd\.  lx\iv  22; 
j:rcparj(l  aiiJ  p  cached  in  Scotland,  in  the  month  01  Au^oH,  I'jS; 

Vol.  IT.  3  G 


4321  The  Dominion  of  Pro'iidencg 

Is  your  ftate  on  earth  for  a  few  fleeting  years  of  {o  much 
moment  ?  And  is  it  of  lefs  moment,  what  fliall  be  your 
ilate  through  endlefs  ages  ?  Have  you  aflembled  together 
willingly  to  hear  what  fliall  be  faid  on  public  affairs,  and 
to  join  in  imploring  the  bleffing  of  God  on  the  councils 
and  arms  of  the  united  colonies,  and  can  you  be  uncon- 
cerned, what  fnall  become  of  you  for  ever,  when  all  the 
monuments  of  human  greatnefs  fhall  be  laid  in  aflies,  for 
"  the  earth  itself  and  all  the  works  that  are  therein  Ihall 
"  be  burnt  up.'' 

Wherefore  my  beloved  hearers,  as  the  miniftry  of  re- 
conciliation is  committed  to  me,  I  befeech  you  in  the  moll 
earned  manner,  to  attend  to  "  the  things  that  belong  to 
"  your  peace,  before  they  are  hid  from  your  eyes."  How 
foon  and  in  what  manner  a  feal  fliall  be  fet  upon  the  cha- 
ra61:er  and  ftate  of  every  perfon  here  prefent,  it  is  impoffi- 
ble  to  know  ;  for  he  who  only  can  know  does  not  think 
proper  to  reveal  it.  But  you  may  rcfl  alTured  that 
there  is  no  time  more  fuitable,  and  there  is  none  fo 
fafe  as  that  which  is  prefent,  fmce  it  is  wholly  uncer- 
tain whether  any  other  fhall  be  yours.  Thofe  who 
ihall  firfl  fall  in  battle,  have  not  many  more  warnings  to 
receive.  There  are  fome  few  daring  and  hardened  fin- 
ners  who  dcfpifc  eternity  itfelf,  and  fet  their  Maker  at  de- 
fiance, but  the  far  greater  number  by  Having  oiT  their 
convi£lions  to  a  more  convenient  feafon,  have  been  taken 
unprepared,  and  thus  eternally  loft.  I  v/ould  therefore 
earneftiy  prefs  the  apodles  exhortation,  2  Cor.  vi.  i,  2. 
"  We  then,  as  v/orkers  together  with  him,  befeech  you 
*'  alfo,  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain  :  For 
"  he  faith,  I  have  heard  thee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in 
"  the  day  of  falvation  have  I  fuccoiired  thee  :  Behold,  now 
"  is  the  accepted  time;  behold,  now  Is  the  day  of  falvation/* 

Suffer  me  to  befeech  you,  or  rather  to  give  you  warning 
not  to  reft  fatisfied  v/ith  a  form  of  godlincfs,  denying  the 
power  thereof.  There  can  be  no  true  religion,  till  there 
be  a  difcovery  of  your  loft  ftate  by  nature  and  practice, 
and  an  unfeigned  acceptance  of  Chrift  Jefus,  as  he  is  offer- 
ed in  the  gofpel.  Unhappy  they  who  either  defpife  his 
mercy,  or  are  Jifliamed  of  his  crofs !  Believe  it, "  there  is  no 


$vcr  the  Passions  of  Men.  423 

"  falvatlon  in  any  other.  There  is  no  olh.cr  name  under 
"  heaven  given  aniongfl  men  by  wJiich  vi'e  muft  be  favcd." 
Unlefs  you  are  united  to  liim  by  a  lively  faith,  not  the  re- 
fentment  of  a  haughty  monarch,  but  the  Avord  of  divine 
juftice  hargs  over  you,  and  the  fulneis  of  divine  Mjn- 
geancc  fliall  fpeedily  overtake  you.  I  do  not  fpeak  this 
only  to  the  heaven  daring  proflipte,  or  grovelling  fen- 
fualifi:,  but  to  every  infenlible  Iccure  fmner ;  to  all  ihofe 
however  decent  and  orderly  in  their  civil  deportment, 
who  live  to  thcmfelvcs  and  have  tlieir  part  and  portion 
in  this  life  ;  in  line  to  all  who  are  yet  in  a  ftatc  of  nature, 
for  "  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  fee  the 
"  kingdom  of  God."  Tlie  fear  of  man  may  make  you 
hide  )'our  profanity  ;  prudence  and  experience  may  make 
you  abhor  intemperance  and  riot ;  as  yoii  advance  in 
life,  one  vice  may  fupplant  another  and  hold  its  place ; 
but  nothing  lefs  than  tiie  fovereign  grace  of  God  can  pro- 
duce a  faving  change  of  heart  and  temper,  or  fit  }'ou  for 
his  immediate  prefence. 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid  '.^pon  this  fubjeiSl,  you  may 
fee  what  ground  there  is  to  give  praife  to  God  for  his  fa- 
vors already  bellowed  on  us,  refpeCling  the  public  caufe. 
It  would  be  a  criminal  inattention  not  to  obferve  tlie  fm- 
gular  interpofition  of  providence  hitherto,  in  behalf  of  the 
American  colonics.  It  is  hov,'ever  impofJ'ble  forme  in  a 
fmgie  difcourfe,  as  well  as  im.propcr  at  this  time  to  go 
through  every  Hep  of  our  paft  tranfadions,  I  mull  tliere- 
fore  content  myfelf  with  a  few  remarks.  How  nip.n}-  dif- 
coveries  have  been  made  of  the  defigns  of  enemies  in  Bri- 
tain and  among  ourfelves,  in  a  manner  as  unexpefted  to 
us  as  to  them,  and  in  fuch  feafon  as  to  prevent  their  eirc(5l ,'' 
What  furprifing  fuccefs  has  attended  our  encounters  in 
almoft  every  inllance  ?  Has  not  the  bcafted  difciple  of  re- 
gular and  veteran  foldiers  been  turned  into  confufion  and 
difmay,  before  the]new  and  maiden  courage  of  freemen,  in 
defence  of  their  property  and  right .''  In  what  great  mercy 
has  blood  been  fpared  on  the  iide  of  this  injured  country  ? 
Some  important  vitlories  in  the  fouth  Jiave  been  gained 
with  fo  little  lofs,  that  enemies  will  probably  think  it  has 
been  dilTembled  ;  as  many,  even  of  curfelves  thQu^ht,  tiU 


424  ^^•>^  Dominion  of  Providence 

time  rendered  it  undeniable.  But  thefe  \rere  compara- 
tively of  Iniall  moment.  The  fignal  advantage  we  have 
gained  by  the  evacuation  of  Bolton,  aad  the  fliameiul 
flight  of  the  array  and  navy  of  Britain,  was  brought  about 
wi.hoLit  the  lofs  of  a  man.  To  all  this  we  may  add,  that 
the  counfels  of  our  enemies  have  been  vifibly  confounded, 
fo  that  I  believe  I  may  fay  with  truth,  that  there  is  hard- 
ly any  ftep  which  they  have  taken,  but  it  has  operated 
firongly  againfl  themfelves,  and  been  more  in  our  favor, 
than  if  they  had  followed  a  contrary  courfe. 

Vv'hile  we  give  praife  to  God  the  fupreme  difpofcr  of 
all  events,  for  his  interpofition  in  our  behalf,  let  us  j^uard 
againit  the  dangerous  error  of  truiling  in,  or  boafting  of 
an  arm  of  fiefli.  I  could  earnefdy  v^^ift,  that  while  our 
arms  are  crowned  with  fuccefs,  we  might  content  our- 
felves  with  a  modeft  afcription  of  it  lo  the  power  of  the 
Higlieil.  It  has  given  me  great  unenfmefs  to  read  fome 
oftentatious,  va,unting  eA}:«'efrior,s  in  our  news  papers, 
though  happily  I  think,  much  retrained  of  late.  Let  us 
not  return  to  them  again,  if  I  am  not  mHtaken,  not  only 
the  holy  fcriptures  in  general,  and  the  trurlis  of  the  glori- 
ous gofpei  in  particular,  but  the  whole  courfe  of  providence 
ibems  intended  to  abafe  tiie  pride  of  man,  and  lay  the 
van:i-gloricus  in  the  dull.  Hoiv  many  inffances  does  hif. 
tory  furnifn  us  with  of  thofe  who  after  exulting  oi^er,  and 
defpifmg  their  enemies,  were  fignally  and  fhamefully  de- 
feated.* The  truth  is,  I  believe,  the  remark  m.ay  be  ap- 
plied univerially,  and  we  may  fay,  that  through  the  Avhole 
frame  of  nature,  and  the  whole  fyflem  of  human  life,  that 
Vv  hich  promifes  molt,  performs  the  leaft.  The  ftovf ers  of 
finell  colour  leklom  have  the  iwtti^^X  fragrance.  The 
trees  of  quickell  groweth  or  faireft  form,  are  feldom  of 
the  greateft  value  or  duration.  Deep  waters  move  Math 
l^aft  noife.  Men  who  think  moll  are  feldom.  talkative. 
And  I  think  i:  liolds  as  much  in  war  as  in  any  thing,  that 
every  boaller  is  a  coward. 

*  There  is  no  (lory  better  Icnown  in  Biillfa  hinory,  than  that  the 
oincers  of  tiie  l^'rench  army  the  night  prccfding  tliC  battle  cf  Agin, 
court,  plr.yed  at  dice  for  Eng!if]i  prifoners  Li-fore  they  took  them,  ^\v\ 
the  next  day  were  taken  by  them. 


over  ibe Passions  of  Men.  j^?^ 

Pardon  me,  my  brethren,  for  infiftlncr  fo  much  upon 
this,  which  may  keni  but  an  immaterial  circundlance. 
It  is  in  my  opinion  of  very  great  moment.  I  look  upon 
ofientation  and  coniidcnce  to  be  a  fort  of  outrage  upon 
Providence,  and  wlien  it  becomes  general,  and  infufes  it- 
felf  into  the  fpirit  of  a  people,  it  is  a  forerunner  of  dcilruc- 
tion.  How  does  GoHah  the  champion,  armed  in  a  mofi: 
formidable  manner,  exprefs  his  dlidain  of  David  the  ftrip- 
Ynvj;  with  his  flinrand  his  Itonc.  iSam.xvii.42,43,44,45. 
*'  And  when  the  PhililUne  looked  about  and  law  David, 
"  he  dlf.lained  hiui :  for  he  was  but  a  youth,  and  ruddy, 
"  and  of  a  f-iir  countenance.  And  the  Philiftinc  laid  unio 
"  Dav'd,  Am  I  a  dog,  lh:.t  thou  ccmcfl:  to  me  with  Haves  ? 
*'  And  the  Phililline  curfed  David  by  his  pods,  and  the 
"P'llliRine  fald  to  David,  come  to  me,  and  I  will  give 
"  tli_v  flefh  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the  bcafis  of 
"  the  field."  But  how  jull  and  modell  the  reply  ?  "  Then 
"  faid  David  to  the  Philiiline,  thou  comeft  to  me  with  a 
"  fword  and  with  a  fpear,  and  with  a  ihield,  but  I  come 
"  unto  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hoils,  the  God  of 
"  the  armies  of  Ifrael,  whom  thdU  hall  defied."  I  was 
well  plcafed  with  a  remark  of  this  kind  thirty  years  ago 
in  a  pamphlet,'*"  in  which  it  was  oblerved,  that  there  was 
a  great  deal  of  profane  ollcntation  in  the  names  given  to 
fnipsofwar,  as  the  Viftory,  the  Valiant,  the  Thunderer, 
the  Dreadnought,  the  Terrible,  the  Firebrand,  the  Fur- 
nace, the  Lightning,  the  Infernal,  and  many  more  of  the 
fame  kind.  This  the  author  confidercd  as  a  fvmptom  of 
the  national  charadler  and  manners  very  unfavorable,  and 
not  likely  to  obtain  the  bleiTing  of  the  God  of  Heaven. | 

*  Biitain's  Remembi-ancer. 

t  I  am  fcnfible  that  one  or  two  of  tliefe  wer.-  nii|)s  taken  foiti  the 
Freni  fi,  which  b;ou7;ht  their  names  with  tlicm.  Bat  the  greaefl  ujinber 
had  their  names  impulcd  in  Enpland,  ai  d  I  camiol  help  ('bferving,  that 
tlie  Vido-y  >>t:en  celeb laied  as  ^he  fineft  Hiip  ever  bnil.  in  B.itain,  was 
Inll  in  the  ni.n^ht  wi;h.;ut  a  Hoim,  by  lome  vr.knuwn  ncciiient,  Jiiid 
about  twelve  hundred  pcrlon<!,  many  of  them  of  the  in  ft  families  in  the 
niition,  \\ere  buried  \\\\\\  it  in  the  deep.  I  do  not  mean  to  infer  any 
thinfj^  from  this,  but,  that  we  ou'^ht  to  live  undv.T  the  pradical  perl'na- 
fion  of  what  no  man  will  dodriually  deny,  that  thc;e  is  no  waning 


426  The  Dominion  of  Proiiidence 

3.  From  what  has  been  faid  you  may  learn  what  en- 
couragement you  have  to  put  your  trufl  in  God,  and  hope 
for  his  affiflancc  in  the  prcfent  important  conflict.  He 
is  the  Lord  of  hofls,  great  in  might,  and  ftrong  in  battle. 
Whoever  hath  his  countenance  and  approbation,  iliall 
have  the  beft  at  iaft.  I  do  not  mean  to  fpeak  propheti- 
cally, but  agreeably  to  the  analogy  of  faith,  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  God's  moral  government.  Some  have  obferved 
that  true  religion,  and  in  her  train  dominion,  riches, 
literature,  and  arts,  have  taken  their  courfe  in  a  flow  and 
gradual  manner,  from  eafl  to  weft  fmce  the  earth  was  fet- 
tled after  the  flood,  and  from  thence  forebode  the  future 
glory  of  America.  I  leave  this  as  a  matter  rather  of  con- 
jefture  than  certainty,  but  obferve,  that  if  your  caule  is 
juft, — if  your  principles  are  pure, — and  if  your  condu<St 
is  prudent,  you  need  not  fear  the  multitude  of  oppofmg 
hoils. 

If  your  caufc  is  juft — you  may  look  with  confidence  to 
the  Lord  and  intreat  him  to  plead  it  as  his  own.  You  arc 
all  my  v/itneiTes,  that  this  is  the  firfl  time  of  my  introdu- 
cing any  political  fubjeft  into  the  pulpilt.  At  this  feafon 
however,  it  is  not  only  lawful  but  necefiary,  and  1  v/il- 
lingly  embrace  the  opportunity  of  declaring  my  opinion 
without  any  hefitation,  that  the  caufe  in  which  America 
is  now  in  arms,  is  the  caufe  of  jufiice,  of  liberty,  and  of 
human  nature.  So  far  as  v/e  have  hitherto  proceeded,  I 
am  fatisfied  that  the  confederacy  of  the  colonies,  has  not 
been  the  effedl  of  pride,  refentment,  or  fedition,  but  of 
a  deep  and  general  conviction,  that  our  civil  and  religious 
liberties,  and  confequently  in  a  great  meafure  the  tempo- 
ral and  eternal  happinefs  of  us  and  our  pofterity  depended 
on  the  iffue.  The  knowledge  of  God  and  his  truths  have 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  been  chiefly,  if  not  en- 
tirely confined  to  thefe  parts  of  the  earth,  where  forae  de- 
gree of  liberty  and  political  juftice  were  to  be  feen,  and 
great  were  the  diiuculties  with  which  they  had  to  ftruggle 

^vith  the  ekitients,  or  him  who  dh-ed^s  their  fore* ;  that  he  is  able  to 
write  dilappojntmeiit  on  the  wifefi:  human  fchemes,  and  by  the  word  of 
his  power  to  tVuftrate  the  efforts  of  the  grealeR  monarch  upon  earth. 


ever  the  Passions  of  Men.  42  y 

from  the  imperfeftion  of  human  fociety,  and  the  unjuft 
decifions  of  ufiirped  authority.  There  is  not  a  fingle  in- 
ftauce  in  hiflory  in  which  civil  hberty  was  loll,  and  re- 
ligious liberty  preferved  entire.  If  therefore  we  yield  up 
our  temporal  property,  we  at  the  fame  time  deliver  die 
confcience  into  bondage. 

You  fliall  not,  my  brethren,  hear  from  me  In  the  pul- 
pit,  what  you  have  never  heard  from  me  in  conver- 
iation,  I  mean  railing  at  the  king  perfonally,  or  even  his 
minifters  and  tlie  parliament,  and  j)eople  of  Britain,  as 
fo  many  barbarous  lavages.  Many  of  their  adlions  have 
probably  been  worfe  than  their  intentions.  That  they 
Ihould  dcfire  unlimited  dominion  if  they  can  obtain  or  prc- 
ferve  it,  is  neither  new  nor  wonderful.  I  do  not  rcfufe 
lubmilTion  to  their  unjuft  claims,  bccaufe  they  are  cor- 
rupt or  profliojate,  although  probably  many  of  them  are 
fo,  but  becaule  they  are  men,  and  therefore  liable  to  all 
the  felfifli  bias  infeparable  from  human  nature.  I  call 
thi5  claim  unjuft  of  making  law  s  to  bind  us  in  all  cafes 
whatfoever,  becaufe  they  are  feparated  from  us,  indepen- 
dent of  us,  and  have  an  intereft  in  oppofmg  us.  Would 
any  man  who  could  prevent  it,  give  up  his  eftate,  perfon, 
and  family,  to  the  difpofal  of  his  neighbor,  although  he 
had  liberty  to  chufc  die  wifeft  and  the  bcft  mafter  ?  Sure- 
ly not.  This  is  the  true  and  proper  hinge  of  the  contro- 
verfy  between  Great-Britain  and  America.  It  is  however 
to  be  added,  that  fuch  is  their  diftance  from  us,  that  a 
wife  and  prudent  adminiftration  of  our  affairs  is  as  impof- 
fible  as  the  claim  of  authority  Is  unjuft.  Such  Is  and 
muft  be  their  ignorance  of  the  ftate  of  things  here,  {q 
much  time  muft  elapfe  before  an  error  can  be  fecn  and 
remedied,  and  fo  much  injufticc  and  partiality  muft  be  ex- 
pelled from  the  arts  and  mifieprefcntation  of  interefted 
perfons,  that  for  thefc  colonics  to  depend  wliolly  upon  the 
lc9;iftature  of  Great-Britain,  would  be  like  many  other 
oppreflive  connexions,  injury  to  the  mafter,  and  ruin  to 
the  ftave. 

Tiie  management  of  tiie  war  ilfelf  on  their  part,  wouM 
furnifti  new  proof  of  diis,  if  any  were  needful.  Is  it  noc 
manifcft  v/Idi  what  abfurdity  and  impropriety  they  have 


4i8  710  Dominion  of  Proiiidence 

condufled  their  own  defigns  ?  Vv^'e  had  nothing  fo  much 
to  fear  as  diifenfion,  and  they  have  by  wanton  and  un- 
necelTary  cruelty  forced  us  into  union.  At  the  fame  time 
to  let  us  fee  what  we  have  to  exptcl,  and  what  would  be 
the  fatal  confequence  of  unlimited  fubmilTion,  they  have 
unifcrn.ly  called  thofe  afts  Lenity^  which  filled  tiiis  whole 
continent  with  refentment  and  horror.  The  ineffable  dlf- 
dain  exprefTed  by  our  fellow  fubjed^^  in  faying,  '  That 

*  lie  Vv'Guld  not  hearken  to  America,  till  flie  was  at  his 

*  feet;'  has  armed  more  men,  and  infpired  more  deadly 
rage,  than  could  have  been  done  by  laying  wade  a  whole 
province  with  fire  and  fword.  Again,  we  wanted  not 
numbers,  but  time,  and  tliey  fent  over  handful  after  hand- 
ful, till  we  were  ready  to  oppofe  a  multitude  greater  than 
they  have  to  fend.  In  fine,  if  there  was  one  place  ftrong- 
er  than  the  reft,  and  more  able  and  willing  to  refift,  there 
they  made  the  attack,  and  left  the  others  till  they  were  du- 
ly informed,  comipletely  incenfed,  and  fully  furnifiicd  with 
every  inftrument  of  war. 

I  mention  thefe  things,  my  brethren,  not  only  as 
cfrounds  of  confidence  in  God,  who  can  eafilv  overthrow 
the  vvifdom  of  the  wife,  but  as  decifive  proofs  of  the  impof- 
fibility  of  thefe  great  and  growing  ftates,  being  fafe  and 
happy  vv'hen  every  part  of  their  internal  polity  is  depen- 
dant on  Great-Britain,  if,  on  account  of  their  diftance, 
and  ignorance  of  our  fituation,  they  could  not  conduct  their 
own  quarrel  M'ith  propriety  for  one  year,  how  can  they 
give  direction  and  vigor  to  every  department  of  our  civil 
corxftitutions  from  age  to  age  ?  There  are  fixed  bounds  to 
every  human  thing.  Vv'hen  the  branches  of  a  tree  grow 
very  large  and  weighty  they  fall  off  from  ti:e  trunk.  The 
fl-jarpcft  fword  will  not  pierce  u  hen  it  cannot  reach.  And 
there  is  a  certain  diftance  from  the  feat  of  go\ernmcnt, 
where  an  attempt  to  rule  will  either  produce  tyranny 
a5)d  lie]j)lefs  fubjeftion,  or  provoke  refinance  and  effect 
u  f:paration. 

I  have  faid,  if  your  principles  are  pure — The  meaning 
oi'this  Is,  if  your  prefent  op]:;ofition  to  the  claims  of  the 
Britifl:!  minillry  does  not  arife  from  a  feditious  and  tur.bu- 
lent  fpirit,  cr  a  wa-;.on  contempt  of  legal  authority  ;  from 


vver  the  Passions  of  Men.  42  <) 

a  blind  and  factious  attachment  to  particular  perfons  or 
parties  ;  or  iVoin  a  felfiih  rapacious  diipofition,  and  a  de-^ 
lire  to  turn  public  confulion  to  privaic  profit — hut  liom 
a  concern  for  the  intereil  of  your  country,  and  the  fafety 
of  yourl'elvcs  and  your  poficrity.  On  this  fubjeft  I  can- 
not help  obferving,  that  though  it  would  be  a  miracle  if 
there  were  not  many  felfilh  perfons  among  us,  anddifcove- 
ries  now  and  then  made  of  mean  and  intercflcd  tranfac- 
tions,  yet  they  have  been  comparatively  inconfiderable 
both  in  number  and  efte6t.  In  general,  there  has  been  fo 
great  a  degree  of  public  fpirit,  tliat  we  have  much  more 
rcafon  to  be  thanld'ul  lor  its  vigor  and  prevalence,  tlian  to 
wonder  at  the  few  appearances  of  diflionelly  or  dilaflcc- 
tion.  It  would  be  very  uncandid  to  afcribe  the  univerliU 
ardor  that  has  prevailed  among  all  ranks  of  men,  and  the 
fpirited  exertions  in  the  mofl  dillant  colonies  to  any  thing 
elfe  than  public  fpirit.  Nor  v/as  there  ever  perhaps  in 
hiftory  fo  general  a  commotion  from  which  religious  dif- 
ferences have  been  fo  entirely  excluded.  Nothing  of  this 
kind  has  as  yet  been  heard,  except  of  late  in  the  abfurd, 
but  malicious  and  dctefiable  attempts  of  our  few  remain- 
ing enemies  to  introduce  them.  At  the  lame  time  I  mufl: 
alfo  for  the  honor  of  this  country  obferve,  that  though  go- 
vernment in  the  ancient  forms  has  been  fo  long  unhinged, 
and  in  fome  coloiiies  not  fufficient  care  taken  to  fubftitute 
anotiier  in  its  place  ;  yet  has  there  been,  by  conmioa 
confent,  a  much  greater  degree  of  order  and  public  peace, 
than  men  of  reflexion-  and  experience  foretold  or  expedl:- 
ed.  From  all  thefe  circumflances  I  conclude  favorably  of 
the  principles  of  the  friends  of  liberty,  and  do  earnelUy 
exhort  you  to  adopt  and  a6t  upon  thofe  which  have  been 
defcribed,  and  reiifl:  the  influence  of  every  other. 

Once  more,  if  to  the  juftice  of  }our  caufe,  and  the  puri- 
ty of  your  principles,  you  add  prudence  in  your  condudl, 
there  will  be  the  greatell  reafon  to  hope,  by  tiie  blefling  of 
God,  for  profperity  and  fuccefs.  By  prudence  in  con- 
duiling  this  important  ftruggle,  I  have  chiefly  in  view 
union,  firmnefs,  and  patience.  Every  body  mull  per- 
ceive the  abfolute  neceillty  of  union.  It  is  indeed  in  eve- 
ry body's  mouth,  and  therefore  inftead  of  attempting  to 

Vol.  II.  3  H 


43 P  T^^^'s  Dominion  ofPrculdencc 

convince  you  of  its  importance,  I  will  only  caution  jqtsl 
againitthe  ufual  caufcs  of  divilion.  If  perfons  of  ever}^ 
rank,  infteacl  of  implicitly  complying  with  the  orders  of 
thofe  whom  they  themfelves  have  chofen  to  dire(5l,  will 
needs  judge  every  meafure  over  again,  v/hen  it  comes  to 
be  put  in  execution.  If  different  clafies  of  men  intermix 
their  little  private  vievv's,  or  clafliing  interell  with  public 
affairs,  and  marflial  into  parties,  the  merchant  againft  the 
landholder,  and  the  landholder  againft  the  merchant.  If 
local  provincial  pride  and  jealoufy  arile,  and  you  allow 
yourlelves  to  Ipeak  v/ith  contempt  of  the  courage,  charac- 
ter, manners,  or  even  language  of  particular  places,  you 
are  doing  a  greater  injury  to  the  common  caufe,  than  you 
are  avvare  of.  If  fuch  practices  are  admitted  among  us, 
I  Ihall  look  upon  it  as  one  of  the  moif  dangerous  fymp- 
touis,  and  if  they  become  general,  a  prefage  of  approach- 
ing ruin. 

By  lirmnefs  and  patience,  I  mean  a  refolute  adherence 
to  your  duty,  and  laying  your  account  with  many  diffi- 
culties as  well  as  occafional  difappointments.  In  a  for- 
mer part  of  this  difcourfe,  I  have  cautioned  you  againft 
oftentation  and  vain  glory.  Be  pleafed  farther  to  obferve 
that  extremes  often  beget  one  another,  the  fame  perfons 
who  exult  extravagantly  on  fuccefs,  are  generally  moft 
liable  to  defpondent  timidity  on  every  little  inconfiderable 
defeat.  Men  of  this  charafter  are  the  bane  and  corruption 
of  every  fociety  or  party  to  which  they  belong,  but  they 
are  efpecially  the  ruin  of  an  army  if  fuffered  to  continue 
in  it.  Remem.ber  the  vicifiltude  of  human  things,  and 
the  ufual  courfe  of  providence.  How  often  has  a  juft 
caufe  been  reduced  to  the  loweft  ebb,  and  yet  when 
firmly  adhered  to,  has  become  finally  triumphant.  I 
fpeak  this  now  v.'^hile  the  affaii's  of  the  colonies  are  in  fo 
profperous  a  ftate,  left  this  profperity ,  itfelf  ftiould  render 
you  lefs  able  to  bear  unexpected  misfortunes — The  fum 
of  the  v/hole  is,  that  the  bleffing  of  God  is  only  to  be 
looked  for  by  thofe  who  are  not  wanting  in  the  difcharge 
of  their  own  duty.  I  would  neither  have  you  to  truft  in 
an  arm  of  fleih,  nor  fit  with  folded  hands  and  expedl  that 
miracles  Ihould  be  wrought  in  your  defence. — This  ic  a. 


oTcr  the  Passions  of  Men.  411 

■fin  which  is  in  Scripture  fiilcd  tempting  Cod.  In  cp- 
jiofition  to  it,  I  would  cnhort  you  as  Joab  did  the  hofl  of 
llrael,  who,  though  he  docs  not  appear  to  Inve  liad  a  fpoi- 
lefs  chara6ler  throughout,  certainly  in  this  infiance  fpokcj 
like  a  prudent  general  and  a  pious  man.  2  Sam.  x.  12. 
"  Be  of  good  courage,  and  let  us  beliave  ourfelvcs  valiantly 
'*  for  our  people  and  for  the  cities  of  our  God,  and  let  the 
"  Lord  do  that  which  is  good  in  his  fight." 

I  Ihall  now  conclude  this  diibourfe  by  fome  exhorta- 
tions to  duty  founded  upon  the  truths,  which  have  been 
illullrated  above,  and  fuited  to  the  interelling  Hate  of  this 
country  at  die  prcfent  time  ;   and, 

I.  Suffer  me  to  recommend  to  you  an  attention  to  the 
public  interell  of  religion,  or  in  other  words,  zeal  I'or  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  others.  I  Imxe  alre.idy  en- 
deavored to  exhort  finners  to  repentance,  u'hat  I  have 
here  in  view  is  to  point  out  to  you  the  concern  which 
every  good  man  ought  to  take  in  the  national  characler 
and  manners,  and  the  means  which  he  ought  to  uie  for 
promoting  public  virtue,  and  be-.uing  down  impiety  and 
vice.  This  is  a  matter  of  the  utmofl  moment,  and  which 
ought  to  be  well  underftood,  both  in  its  nature  and  prin- 
ciples. Nodiing  is  more  certain  than  that  a  general  pro- 
fligacy and  corruption  of  manners  makes  a  people  ripe 
for  deflrudlion.  A  good  form  of  government  may  hold 
the  rotten  materials  together  for  Ibme  time,  but  beyond  a 
certain  pitch  even  the  bell  conftitution  will  be  inelfeclual, 
and  flavery  muft  enfue.  On  the  other  hand,  wh.en  the 
manners  of  a  nation  are  pure,  when  true  religion  and  in- 
ternal principles  maintain  their  vigor,  the  attempts  of  the 
mofl;  powerful  enemies  to  opprefs  them  are  commonly 
baffled  and  difappointed.  This  will  be  found  equally 
certain,  whedierwe  confider  the  great  principles  of  God's 
moral  government,  or  the  operation  and  influence  of  natu- 
ral caufes. 

What  follows  from  thir:  ?  That  he  is  the  bciT:  friend  to 
American  liberty,  who  is  mod  fmcere  and  active  in  pro- 
moling  true  and  undefdcd  religion,  and  who  fets  himfelf 
with  thegreatell  hruniefs  to  bear  down  profanity  and  im- 
morality of  every  kind.     Whoever  is  an  avowed  tr\£\rxy 


432  The  Dominion  of  Proi^idence 

to  God,  I  fcruple  not  to  call  him  an  enemy  to  his  country. 
Do  not  fuppofe,  niy  brethren,  that  I  mean  to  recommend 
a  furious  and  an.^;ry  zeal  for  the  circumftantials  of  religion, 
or  the  contentions  of  one  feft  with  another  about  their  pe- 
culiar diitind-ions.  I  do  not  wifli  you  to  oppofe  any  bo- 
dy's religion,  but  every  body's  wickednefs.  Perhaps  there 
are  few  furer  marks  of  the  reality  of  religion,  than  when  a 
man  feels  himfelf  more  joined  in  fpirit  to  a  truly  holy  perfon 
of  a  different  denomination,  than  to  an  irregular  livtr  of  his 
own.  It  is  therefore  your  duty  in  this  important  and  critical 
feafon  to  exert  yourfelves  every  one  in  his  proper  fphere  to 
ilem  the  tide  of  prevailing  vice,  to  promote  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  the  reverence  of  his  name  and  worihip,  and 
obedience  to  his  laws. 

Perhaps  you  will  aflc,  what  it  is  that  you  are  called  to 
do  for  this  purpofe  farther  than  your  own  perfonal  duty  ? 
I  anfwcr  this  itfelf  when  taken  in  its  proper  extent  is  not 
a  little.  The  nature  and  obligation  of  vifib'e  religion  is, 
I  am  afraid,  little  underllood  and  lefs  attended  to. 

Many  from  a  real  or  pretended  fear  of  the  imputation 
of  hypocri  fy,  banifli  from  their  converfation  and  carriage 
every  appearance  of  refped:  and  fubmiffion  to  the  living 
God.  What  a  weaknefs  and  meannefs  of  fpirit  does  it 
difcover  for  a  man  to  be  afliamed  in  the  prefence  of  his 
fellow  fmners,  to  profefs  that  reverence  to  almighty  God 
which  he  inwardly  feels :  The  truth  is,  he  makes  him- 
felf truly  liable  to  the  accufation  which  he  means  to  avoid. 
It  is  as  genuine  and  perliaps  a  more  culpable  hypocri  fy  to 
appear  to  have  lefs  religion  than  you  really  have,  than  to 
appear  to  have  more.  This  falfe  fiiame  is  a  more  exten- 
five  evil  than  is  commonly  apprehended.  We  contribute 
conftantly,  though  infenfibly,  to  form  each  others  charac- 
ter and  manners  ;  and  therefore,  the  ufefulnefs  of  a  lb"iclly 
holy  and  confcientious  deportment  is  not  confined  to  the 
pofieffor,  but  fpreads  its  happy  influence  to  all  that  are 
within  its  reach.  I  need  fcarcelj^  add,  that  in  proportion 
as  men  are  diilinguilhed  by  underftanding,  literature,  age, 
rank,  office,  wealth,  or  any  other  circumilance,  their  ex- 
ample will  be  ufefui  on  tlie  one  hand,  or  pernicious  on 
the  other. 


ifver  the  Passiom  of  Men.  433 

But  I  cannot  content  myfelf  with  barely  recommending 
a  filent  exiunple.  There  is  a  dignity  in  virtue  which  is 
entitled  to  uuthority,  and  ou^ht  to  claim  it.  In  many 
cafes  it  is  the  duty  of  a  pjood  man,  by  open  reproof  and 
oppofilion,  to  wage  war  with  profanenefs.  There  is  a 
fcripture  precept  delivered  in  very  hn^^ular  terms,  to 
which  I  beg  your  attention ;  ♦'  Thou  ihalt  not  hate  thy 
"  brother  in  thy  heart,  but  flialt  in  any  wife  rebuke  him, 
*'  and  not  fuffer  fui  upon  him."  How  prone  are  ma- 
ny to  reprefent  reproof  as  flowing  from  ill  nature 
and  furlinels  of  temper  :  I'he  Spirit  of  God,  on  the 
coatrary,  confders  it  as  the  effect  of  inward  hatred,  or 
want  of  genuine  love,  to  forbear  reproof  when  it  is  ne- 
cefiary  or  may  be  ufeful.  I  am  fenfiblc  there  may  in 
fome  cafes  be  a  rcftraint  from  prudence,  agreeably  to  that 
caution  of  Solomon,  "  Call  not  your  pearls  before  fwine, 
*'  left:  they  trample  them  under  their  feet,  and  turn  again 
"  and  rent  you."  Of  this  every  man  mull  judge  as  well 
as  he  can  for  himfelf ;  but  certainly,  either  by  open  re- 
proof, orexpreffive  filence,  or  fpeedy  departure  from  fuch 
fociety,  we  ought  to  guard  againil  being  partakers  of  other 
men's  hns. 

To  this  let  me  add,  that  if  all  men  are  bound  in  fome 
degree,  certain  claffes  of  men  are  under  peculiar  obliga- 
tions to  the  difcharge  of  this  duty.  Magiflrates,  minillers, 
parents,  heads  of  families,  and  thofe  whom  age  has  ren- 
dered venerable,  are  called  to  ufe  their  authority  and  in- 
fluence for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  others.  Bad 
men  themfelves  difcover  an  inward  convidlion  of  this,  for 
they  are  often  liberal  in  their  reproaches  of  j)erfons  of 
grave  charadlers  or  religious  profeilion,  if  they  bear  with 
patience  the  profanity  of  others.  Inllead  of  enlarging 
on  the  duty  of  men  in  autliority  in  general,  I  muft  parti- 
cularly recommend  this  matter  to  thofe  who  have  the  com- 
mand of  foldiers  inlifted  for  the  defence  of  their  countr}^ 
The  caufe  is  I'acred,  and  the  champions  for  it  ought  to  be 
holy.  Nothing  is  more  grieving  to  the  heart  of  a  good 
man,  than  to  hear  from  thofe  who  are  going  to  the  field, 
the  horrid  found  of  curling  and  blafphcmy ;  it  cools  the 


^-34  The  Dominion  of  Providence 

ardor  of  his  prayers,  as  well  as  abates  his  confidence  and 
hope  in  God.  Many  more  circumftances  afFeCl  mc  in 
fuch  a  cafe,  than  I  can  enlarge  upon,  or  indeed  eafdy  enu- 
merate at  prefent ;  the  glory  of  God,  the  intereft  of  the 
deluded  fmner,  going  like  a  devoted  victim  and  impreca- 
ting vengeance  on  his  own  head,  as  well  as  the  caufe  itfelf 
committed  to  his  care.  We  have  fometimes  taken  the  li- 
berty to  forebode  the  downfal  oftheBritilh  empire,  from 
the  corruption  and  degeneracy  of  the  people.  Unhappily 
the  Britifii  foldiers  have  been  diftinguiihed  among  all  the 
nations  in  Europe,  for  the  mofl  Ihocking  profanity.  Shall 
we  then  pretend  to  emulate  them  in  this  infernal  diftinc- 
tion,  or  rob  them  of  the  horrid  privilege  ?  God  forbid. 
Let  the  officers  of  the  army  in  every  degree  remember, 
that  as  military  fubjeftion,  while  it  lafts,  is  the  moil  com- 
plete of  any,  it  is  in  their  power  greatly  to  reftrain,  if  not 
wholly  to  banifh,  this  flagrant  enormity. 

2.  I  exhort  all  who  are  not  called  to  go  into  the  field 
to  apply  themfelves  with  the  utmoit  diligence  to  works  of 
induftry.  It  is  in  your  ix)wer  by  this  means  not  only  to 
fupply  the  neceffities,  but  to  add  to  the  flrcngth  of  your 
country.  Habits  of  induftry  prevailing  in  a  fociety  not 
only  increafe  its  wealth,  as  their  immediate  effect,  but 
they  prevent  the  introdu6tion  of  many  vices,  and  are  in- 
timately connedlcd  with  fobriety  and  good  morals.  Idle- 
nefs  is  the  motlier  or  nurfe  of  almofl:  every  vice;  and  want, 
which  is  its  infeparable  companion,  urges  men  on  to  the 
moft  abandoned  and  deflrucLive  courfes.  Indufiry,  there- 
fore is  a  moral  duty  of  the  greatefl  moment,  abfolutely 
neceilary  to  national  profperity,  and  the  fure  way  of  ob- 
taining the  blelTing  of  God.  1  would  alfo  obferve,  that  in 
this,  as  in  every  other  part  of  God's  government,  obedi- 
ence to  his  will  is  as  much  a  natural  mean,  as  a  merito- 
rious caufe  of  the  advantage  we  Mafh  to  reap  from  it.  In- 
duftry  brings  up  a  firm  and  hardy  ra.ce.  He  who  is  in- 
ured to  the  labor  of  the  field,  is  prepared  for  the  fatigues 
of  a  campaign.  The  a6live  farmer  who  rifes  with  the 
dawn  and  follows  his  team  or  plow,  muft  in  the  end  be  an 
overmatch  for  thofe  efifeminate  and  delicate  foldiers,  who 


otfr  the  Passions  of  Men.  435 

are  nmfed  in  the  lap  of  felf-indulgence,  and  wliofc  ;i;rcat- 
eft  exertion  is  in  the  important  preparation  for,  and  tedi- 
ous attendance  on,  a  niafquerade,  or  midnight  ball. 

3.  In  the  lalt  place,  fuffer  me  to  reconnnend  to  you 
frugality  in  your  families,  and  every  other  article  of  cx- 
pencc.  This  the  ilate  of  things  among  us  renders  abfo- 
lutely  neceflary,  and  it  ftands  in  the  molt  immediate  con- 
nexion both  with  virtuous  indullry,  and  aflive  public 
fpirit.  Temperance  in  meals,  moderation  and  decency 
in  drefs,  furniture  and  equipage,  have,  I  think,  generally- 
been  charafteridics  of  a  diitinguiflied  patriot.  And  when 
the  fame  Iplrit  pervades  a  people  in  general,  they  are  fit 
for  every  duty,  and  able  to  encounter  the  moll  formida- 
ble enemy.  The  general  fubjecl  of  the  preceding  dif- 
courfe  has  been  the  wrath  of  man  praifuig  God.  If  the 
unju'l:  oppreflion  of  your  enemies,  which  withholds  from 
vou  many  of  the  ufual  articles  of  luxury  and  magnificence, 
ihall  contribute  to  make  you  clothe  yourfelves  and  your 
children  with  the  works  of  your  own  hands,  and  cover 
your  tables  with  the  falutary  produftions  of  your  own 
foil,  it  will  be  a  new  illullration  of  the  fame  trutli,  and  a 
real  happinefs  to  yourfelves  and  your  country. 

I  could  wilh  to  have  every  good  thing  done  from  the 
purefl:  principles  and  the  nobleil  views.  Confider,  there- 
fore, that  the  Chriftian  chara6ter,  particularly  the  felf-de- 
nial  of  the  gofpel,  Ihould  extend  to  your  whole  deport- 
ment. In  the  early  times  of  Chriilianity,  when  adult 
converts  were  admitted  to  baptifm,  they  were  afked  among 
other  queflions,  Do  you  renounce  the  world,  its  iliews, 
its  pomp,  and  its  vanities  ?  I  do.  The  form  of  this  is  fiill 
preferved  in  the  adminiftration  of  baptifm,  where  we  re- 
nounce the  devil,  the  world,  and  the  iiefli.  This  certain- 
ly implies  not  only  abllaining  from  afts  of  grofs  intem- 
perance and  excefs,  but  a  humility  of  carriage,  a  rcllraint 
and  moderation  in  all  your  defircs.  The  fame  thing,  as 
it  is  fuitable  to  your  Chrillian  profefiion,  is  alfo  necellary 
to  make  you  truly  indcpendant  in  yourfelves,  and  to  feed 
the  fource  of  liberality  and  charily  to  others,  or  to  tlie 
public.  The  riotous  and  walicful  liver,  whofe  craving 
appetites  make  him  conllantly  needy,  is  and  mud  be  fub- 


43^  The  Dominion  of  Pro'Dukncc 

je£l  to  many  mafters,  according  to  the  faying  of  Solomon, 
"  The  borrower  is  fervant  to  the  lender."  But  the  fi-ugal 
and  moderate  perfon,  who  guides  his  affairs  with  difcre- 
tion,  is  able  to  affift  in  public  counfels  by  a  free  and  un- 
biaiTed  judgment,  to  fupply  the  wants  of  his  poor  bre- 
thren, and  fometimes,  by  his  eilate.  and  fubllance  to  give 
important  aid  to  a  fmking  country. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  befeech  you  to  make  a  wife  im- 
provement of  the  prefent  threatning  afpedl  of  public  af- 
fairs, and  to  remember  that  your  duty  to  God,  to  your 
country,  to  your  families,  and  to  yourfelves,  is  the  fame. 
True  religion  is  nothing  tlia  but  an  inward  temper  and 
outward  conduct  fuited  to  your  flate  and  circumftances  in 
providence  at  any  time.  And  as  peace  with  God  and 
conformity  to  him,  adds  to  the  fweetnefs  of  created  com- 
forts while  we  pofiefs  them,  fo  in  times  of  difficulty  and 
trial,  it  is  in  the  man  of  piety  and  inward  principle  that 
we  may  expeft  to  find  the  uncorrupted  patriot,  the  ufeful 
citizen,  and  the  invincible  foldier. — God  grant  that  in 
America  true  religion  and  civil  liberty  may  be  infeparable, 
and  that  the  unjuil  attempts  to  deflroythe  one,  lyay  in  the 
iffue  tend  to  the  fupport  and  eilablilliment  of  both. 


[     437     ] 

ADDRESS 

TO    THE 

NATIVES  OF  SCOTLAND  residing  in 

AMERICA. 


Countrymen  and  Friends, 

AS  foon  as  I  had  confcnted  to  the  publication  of  the 
ibregoaig  fermon,  I  felt  an  irrcfiftible  defire  to  ac- 
company it  with  a  few  words  addrefled  to  you  in  parlicu- 
iar.  I  am  certain  I  feci  the  attachment  of  country  as  far 
as  it  is  a  virtuous  or  laudable  principle,  perhaps  it  would 
be  nearer  the  truth  to  fay,  as  far  as  it  is  a  natural  and  par- 
donable prejudice.  He  who  ig  fo  plcafcd  may  attribute  it 
to  this  lall  when  I  fay,  that  I  have  never  fcen  caufe  to  be 
afhamed  of  the  place  of  my  birth;  that  fince  the  revival 
of  arts  and  letters  in  Europe  in  the  clofe  of  the  fourteenth 
and  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century,  the  natives  of 
Scotland  have  not  been  inferior  to  thofe  of  any  other  coun- 
try, for  genius,  erudition,  mililary  prowefs,  or  any  of  thofc 
accomphfliments  which  improve  or  embcllifli  human  na- 
ture. When  to  this  it  is  added,  that  fince  my  coming  to 
America  at  an  advanced  period  of  life,  the  friendfliip  of 
my  countrymen  has  been  as  much  above  my  expe6:ation 
as  defert,  I  hope  every  reader  will  confider  what  is  now  to 
be  offered  as  the  effedl  not  only  of  unfeigned  good  will,  but 
of  the  moll  ardent  aifedlion. 

It  has  given  me  no  little  uneafinefs  to  hear  the  word 
Scotch  ufed  as  a  term  of  reproach  in  die  American  contro- 
verfy,  which  could  only  be  upon  the  fuppofition  tliatfiran- 
p;ers  of  that  country  are  more  univcrfally  oppofed  to  the 
liberties  of  America  than  thofc  who  were  born  in  South- 

Vol.  II.  3  I 


438  To  the  natives  of  Scotland 

Britain,  or  in  Ireland,  I  am  fenilble  that  this  has  been 
done  in  fome  news-papers  and  contemptible  anonymous 
publications,  in  a  manner  that  was  neither  warranted  by- 
truth,  nor  diclated  by  prudence.  There  are  many  natives 
of  Scotland  in  this  country,  whofe  oppofition  to  the  unjuft 
claims  of  Great  Britain  has  been  as  early  and  uniform, 
founded  upon  as  rational  and  liberal  principles,  and  there- 
fore likely  to  be  as  lafting,  as  that  of  any  fet  of  men  what- 
ever. As  to  Great  Britain  itfeif,  time  has  now  fully  dif- 
covered  that  the  real  friends  of  America  in  any  part  of  that 
kingdom  ■were  very  few,  and  thofe  whofe  frlendfliip  was 
difmtcrefted,  and  in  no  degree  owing  to  their  own  political 
factions,  ftill  fewer.  The  wife  and  valuable  part  of  the 
nation  v/ere,  and  as  yet  are,  in  a  great  meafure  ignorant 
of  the  flate  of  things  in  tliis  country  ;  neither  is  it  eafy  for 
the  bulk  of  a  people  to  fhake  off  their  prejudices,  and  open 
their  eyes  upon  the  great  principles  of  univerfal  liberty. 
It  is  therefore  at  lead  very  difputable,  whether  there  is  any 
■juft  ground  for  the  di(lin(^ion  between  Scots  and  Englifli 
on  this  fubje6t  at  all. 

This  difputs,  however,  I  do  not  mean  to  enter  upon, 
becaufe  it  is  of  too  little  moment  to  find  a  place  here, 
but  lujP]22iii2gJi^t7  in  fome  provinces  efpecially,  the  na- 
"tivps  of  Srorlnnd  havi"  beeft-tea -fnuch  inclined  to  fup- 
potLthcjifurpatiQns_Qf--lhe. parent  ftate,  I  will  firft  en- 
deavor to  account  for  it,  by  affigning  fome  of  its  probable 
caufes ;  and  then  offer  a  fev/  confiderations  whicli  fliould 
induce  them  to  wipe  off  the  afperfion  entirely,  by  a  con- 
trary condudt. 

As  to  the  iirft  of  thefe,  I  will  mention  what  I  fuppofe 
to  have  been  the  firft  and  radical  caufe,  and  which  gave 
birth  to  every  other,  of  the  difaffe^lion  of  fome  of  the  na- 
tives of  Scotland  to  the  juil  privileges  of  America.  What 
I  have  in  viev/  was  the  friends  of  liberty  in  many  places  of 
Arnevica,  taking  the  part  of,  and  foeming  to  confider 
themfelves  as  in  a  great  meafure  engaged  in  the  fame  caufe 
with,  that  very  diilinguiihed  perfon,  John  "Wilkes,  Efq. 
of  London.  This  was  done  not  only  in  many  v/ritings 
and  nev/s-paper  difiertatioas,  but  one  or  tv»o  colonies,  in 
ibine  of  their  moll  refpei^able  meetiugs,  manifelled  their 


residing  in  America.  439 

attachment  to  him,  and  fccmcd  to  confuler  him  as  llieir 
jiatron  and  friend.  No.  45,  which  was  the  moil  oHlnlivc 
number  of  a  wortlilefs  paper,  was  repeated  and  echoed, 
by  the  moll  filly  and  ridiculous  allufions  to  it,  through  eve- 
ry part  of  the  country,  and  by  many  who  could  not  tell 
what  was  fignified  by  the  term. 

It  will  not  be  necelTary  to  fay  much  on  the  prudence 
offuch  condudl,  becaufe  I  fuppofe  thofc  who  cxpe£^.ed 
"Wilkes's  mob  would  pull  down  the  parliament-lioufe,  or 
that  there  would  be  infurredions  all  over  the  kingdom  in 
behalf  of  America,  are  by  this  lime  fully  futisfictl  of  their 
mifiakc.  It  appears  now  in  tlic  cleareii  manner,  that,  till 
very  lately,  thofe  who  feemed  to  take  the  part  of  America 
in  the  Britifh  parliament,  never  did  it  on  American  piia- 
clplcs.  They  either  did  not  underftand,  or  were  i.ot  v.  ill- 
ing  to  admit,  the  extent  of  our  claim.  Even  the  great 
Lord  Cliatham's  bill  for  reconciliation  would  not  have 
been  accepted  here,  and  did  not  materially  differ  from 
what  the  minillry  would  have  confcnted  to.  The  truih 
is,  the  far  greateft  part  of  the  countenance  given  in  Bri- 
tain  to  the  complaints  of  this  country,  was  by  thofe  v/ho 
liad  no  other  intention  in  it  than  to  ufe  them  as  an  env^ins 
of  oppofition  to  the  miniflry  for  the  time  being.  It  is 
true,  fome  of  them  have  now  learned  to  rcafon  vciy  juft- 
ly,  and  upon  the  moR  liberal  pnnciples ;  but  their  num- 
ber is  not  great,  and  it  was  not  the  cafe  with  any  one 
fpeakcr  or  vvriter,  whofe  works  I  have  had  tlie  oppor- 
tunity of  perufmg,  till  the  very  laft  ftage  of  the  quarrel. 

"What  effeft  this  Wilkifm  (if  1  may  fpcak  fo)  of  many 
Americans  may  be  fuppofed  to  have  had  upon  the  minds 
of  gentlemen  from  Scotland,  it  is  not  diflicult  to  explain. 
That  gentleman  and  his  affociatcs  thought  proper  to  found 
the  v/hole  of  their  oppofition  to  tlie  then  minillry,  upon  a 
contempt  and  hatred  of  the  Scots  nation  ;  and  by  the  mofl 
illiberal  methods,  and  the  molt  fcandalous  fallel.oods,  to 
iVir  up  a  national  jealoufy  bctu  ejn  the  northern  and  foutr.- 
ern  parts  of  the  ifland.  There  was  not  a  vile  term  or  hate- 
ful idea,  which  ancient  vulgar  animofiiy  had  ever  ufed, 
though  long  union  had  made  them  fcarcely  intellig'.ble, 
•which  he  did  not  rake  up  and  attcinpr  to  bring  into  ore- 


440  ^0  the  Natives  of  Scotland 

dit,  by  writing  and  converfation.  The  confeqnencc  of 
this  is  well  known.  Wilkes  and  fome  others  were  burnt 
in  cfligy  in  Scotland,  and  it  produced  fo  general  an  at- 
tachraent  to  the  king  and  miniflry,  as  has  net  yet  fpent 
its  iorce.  In  thefe  circumftances  is  it  to  be  wondered  at, 
that  many  who  left  Scotland  within  the  laft  fifteen  years, 
when  they  heard  Wilkes  and  thofe  who  adhered  to 
him,  extolled  and  celebrated  by  the  fons  of  liberty,  fliould 
be  apt  to  confider  it  as  an  evidence  of  the  fame  fpirit,  and 
that  they  were  engaged  in  fupport  of  the  fame  caufe. 
Perhaps  we  may  go  a  little  higher  with  this  remark  in  tra- 
cing political  appearances  to  their  fource.  It  is  general- 
ly faid  that  the  King  himfclf  has  difcovered  a  violent  ran- 
corous perfonal  hatred  againft  the  Americans.  If  this  be 
true,  and  1  know  nothing  to  the  contrary,  it  may  be  eafi- 
]y  accounted  for  upon  the  very  fame  principles. 

I  am  far  from  fuppofmg  that  this  was  a  good  reafon 
for  any  man's  being  cool  to  the  American  caufe,  which 
was  as  different  from  that  of  Wilkes,  as  light  is  from 
darknefs.  It  Vv^as  indeed  doing  great  difhonor  to  the  no- 
ble flruggle,  to  fuppofe  it  to  have  any  connection  with 
who  fliould  be  in  or  out  of  court-favor  at  London  ;  and 
therefore  it  was  always  my  opinion,  that  thofe  who  railed 
againfl  the  king  and  miniflry  only,  did  not  carry  the  argu- 
ment home,  nor  fully  underfland  the  nature  of  their  own 
plea.  In  order  to  juffcify  the  American  oppofition,  it  is 
not  neceffary  to  flicw  that  the  perfons  in  power  have  inva- 
ded liberty  in  Britain  ;  it  is  fufiicient  to  fay  that  they, 
with  the  concurrence  of  the  whole  nation,  have  refufedto 

fufferit  to  continue  in  the  colonies. This  leads  me  to 

tlie  fecond  part  of  my  defign,  Vvhich  was  to  lay  before  you 
the  reafons  which,  I  think,  fliould  induce  every  lover  of 
jufhice  and  of  mankind,  not  only  to  be  a  wcll-wiflier,  but 
a  firm  and  ftedfail  friend  to  America,  in  this  important 
conteft. 

It  has  been  often  faid,  that  the  prefent  is  likely  to  be  an 
important  eera  to  America.  I  think  v/e  may  fay  much 
more  ;  it  is  likely  to  be  an  important  asra  in  the  hillory  of 
mankind.  In  the  ancient  migrations,  a  new  country  was 
generally  fettled  by  a  fmall  unconnected,  and  often  an  ig- 


residing  in  Amcrlcii.  441 

norant  band.  The  people  and  tlie  foil  were  alike  uncul- 
tivated, and  therefore  tiicy  proceeded  to  improveinciit  by 
very  flow  degrees  ;  nay,  many  of  them  fell  back  and  de- 
generated into  a  llatc  vallly  more  lavage  than  the  people 
from  whence  they  came.  In  Anierica  we  fee  a  lirh  and 
valuable  foil  and  an  extenfive  country,  taken  pofleHion  of 
by  the  power,  the  learning,  and  the  v.ealth  of  J Au-ope. 
P'or  this  reafon  it  is  now  exhibiting  to  the  woild  a  Icenc 
which  was  never  '[c^w  before.  It  has  had  a  progrefs  in 
improvement  and  population  fo  rapid  as  no  j^olitlcal  cal- 
culators have  been  able  to  afccrlain.  I  look  upon  every 
thing  that  has  been  faid  upon  this  fubjedl  to  be  mere  con- 
jeflure,  except  in  fuch  places  as  there  has  been  an  aiUial 
numeration.  When  men  fay  tliat  America  doubles  its 
number  in  fifteen,  twenty,  or  twenty-five  years,  ihcy 
fpeak  by  gucfs,  and  they  fiy  nothing.  In  fome  places 
that  may  be  under  or  over  the  truth  ;  but  there  are  vaft 
tra£ls  of  land  that  fill  every  year  with  inhabitants,  and 
yet  the  old  fettled  places  IKdl  continue  to  Increafe. 

It  is  proper  to  obferve  that  the  Briliih  fettle ments  have 
been  improved  in  a  proportion  far  beyond  the  fettlements 
of  other  European  nations.  To  w  h:;t  can  this  be  afcri- 
bed  ?  Not  to  the  climate  ;  for  they  aie  of  all  climr.tes: 
Not  to  the  people  ;  for  they  are  a  mixture  o!"  i^U  nations. 
Itmuft  therefore  be  refolved  fmgly  into  the  degree  of  Bri- 
tifli  liberty  wliich  they  brought  from  home,  and  which 
pervaded  more  or  lefs  their  feveral  confiiiutions.  It  has 
been  repeated  to  us,  I  know  not  how  often,  by  llic  merce- 
nary iliortrighted  writers  in  favor  of  fubmiHion  to,  or  re- 
union with,  Great-Britain,  that  we  have  thriven  \ery 
much  in  paft  times  by  our  dcpendance  cii  ti.e  mother 
country,  and  thereibre  we  fhouid  be  loih  to  part.  Tlxcfe 
writers  forget  that  the  very  ccuu plaint  is,  that  llie  will  not 
luficr  us  to  enjoy  our  ancient  rights.  Can  any  pall  ex- 
perience fhew  that  uc  (hall  t!ni\e  under  new  impofuions  ? 
1  fliould  be  glad  any  fuch  reafoners  would  attempt  to  prove 
that  we  ha\e  thriven  by  our  depenilance,  and  not  by  the 
degree  of  indcpendcr.ee  w  hicli  we  have  hitherto  enjoyed. 
If  we  have  thriven  by  our  dependance,  I  conceive  it  is  a 
ncccflaiT   confcqucnce  th.tt  tliofe   p'"ovluces  mbit   have 


44*  ?^  '^^  Nathes  of  Scotland 

thriven  niofl:  which  have  been  moll  dependant.  But  the 
contrary  is  felf-evident.  Thofe  which  have  hitherto  en- 
joyed the  freell  form  of  government,  though  greatly  infe- 
rior in  foil  and  climate,  have  yet  out-ilripped  the  others 
in  number  of  people  and  value  of  land,  merely  becaufe  the 
lall  were  more  under  the  influence  of  appointments  and 
authority  from  home. 

When  this  is  the  undeniable  ftate  of  things,  can  any 
perfon  of  a  liberal  mind  wifh  that  thefe  great  and  grow- 
ing countries  fliould  be  brought  back  to  a  ftate  of  fubjec- 
tion  to  a  diftant  power  ?  And  can  any  man  deny,  that 
if  they  had  yielded  to  the  claims  of  the  Britilli  parliament, 
they  v/ould  have  been  no  better  than  a  parcel  of  tributary 
flates,  ruled  by  lordly  tyrants,  and  exhauited  by  unfeeling 
penfioners,  under  the  commilFion  of  one  too  diilant  to 
hear  the  cry  of  oppreffion,  and  furrounded  by  thofe  who 
had  an  intereft  in  deceiving  him.  It  ought  therefore,  in 
my  opinion,  to  meet  with  the  cordial  approbation  of  every 
impartial  perfon,  as  I  am  confident  it  will  of  poilerity, 
that  they  have  united  for  common  defence,  and  refolved 
that  they  will  be  both  free  and  independent,  becaufe  they 
cannot  be  the  one  without  the  other. 

As  this  meafure,  long  forefeen,  has  now  taken  place,  I 
ill  all  beg  leave  to  fay  a  few  things  upon  it ;  in  which  I 
mean  to  fhow,  i .  That  it  was  necelTary .  2.  That  it  will 
be  honorable  and  profitable.  And,  3.  That,  in  all  proba- 
bility, it  will  be  no  injury,  but  a  real  advantage,  to  the 
iiland  of  Great-Britain. 

I.  It  had  become  abfolutcly  neceflar}'.  All  reconcilia- 
tion, but  upon  the  footing  of  abfolutc  unconditional  fub- 
miffion,  had  been  pofitively  refufed  by  Great-Britain; 
unlefs,  therefore,  the  colonies  had  refolved  to  continue  in 
a  loofe  and  broken  ftate,  with  the  name  of  a  government 
which  they  had  taken  arms  to  oppofe,  the  fl:ep  which  they 
have  now  taken  could  not  have  been  avoided.  Befides, 
things  had  proceeded  fo  far,  and  fuch  nieafures  had  been 
taken  on  both  fides,  that  it  had  become  impoffible  to  lay 
down  a  fcheme  by  which  they  Ihould  be  fure  of  our  depen- 
dance,  and 'cut',  at  the  fame  time,  fecured  in  our  liberties. 
While  things  continued  in  their  ancient' Itate,  there  was 


I 


residing  in  America,  443 

perhaps  a  power  on  the  part  of  each,  of  which  they  were 
hardly  confcious,  or  M'cre  afraid  and  unwilling  to  exert. 
But  after  the  encroachments  had  been  made  and  refilled, 
to  cxpecft  any  thinj]j  elfe  than  a  continual  attempt  to  ex- 
tend authority  on  the  one  hand,  and  to  guard  againfl  it  on 
the  other,  is  to  difcover  very  little  knowledge  of  human 
nature.  In  fuch  a  fituation,  though  every  claim  of  Ame- 
rica lliould  be  yielded,  Ihe  v/ould  foon  be  either  in  a  flatc 
of  continual  confufion,  or  abfolute  fubmilHon.  The  king 
of  England,  living  in  his  Englilh  dominions,  would  not, 
and  indeed  durll  not,  affent  to  any  a6l  of  an  American  le- 
gillature,  that  was,  or  was  fuppofcd  to  be  hurtful  to  his 
Englifli  fubjecis.  This  is  not  founded  on  conjecture,  but 
experience.  There  is  not  (at  leaft  dean  Swift  affirms  it) 
any  dependance  of  Ireland  upon  England,  except  an  aft 
of  the  Irifli  parliament,  that  the  king  of  England  fliali  be 
king  of  Ireland.  This  laft  has  a  fejmrate  independent  le- 
giflaturc,  and  in  every  thing  elfe  but  the  above  circum- 
itancc  feems  to  be  perfectly  free ;  yet  if  any  man  fliould 
alfert,  that  the  one  kingdom  is  not  truly  fiibjeCt  to  the 
other,  he  would  in  my  opinion  know  very  little  of  the  ftate 
and  hiflory  of  either. 

2.  A  (late  of  independency  will  be  both  honorable  and 
profitable  to  this  country.  1  pafs  over  many  advantages 
in  the  way  of  commerce,  as  well  as  in  other  refpedts, 
that  muft  neceflarily  accrue  from  it,  that  I  may  dwell  a 
little  on  the  great  and  leading  benefit,  which  is  the  foun- 
dation of  all  the  relt.  AVe  fliall  have  the  opportunity  of 
forming  plans  of  government  upon  the  moll  rational,  jufl, 
and  equal  principles.  I  coruxifs  I  have  always  looked  up- 
on this  with  a  kind  of  enthufiaftic  fatisfa6lion.  Tiie  cafe 
never  happened  before  fince  the  world  began.  AH  the 
governments  we  have  read  of  in  former  ages  were  fettled 
bycapriceoraccidentjb}'  the  inliuence  of  prevailing  parlies* 
or  particular  perfons,  or  prefcribcd  by  a  conqueror.  Im- 
portant improvemciits  indeed  have  been  forced  upon  fome 
conflitutions  by  the  Ipirit  of  daring  men,  fupported  by 
fuccefsful  infurre6"tions.  But  to  fee  ffovcrnment  in  Lir- e 
and  populous  countries  fettled  from  its  foundation,  by  de- 
liberate couiilcl,  and  direclci  immediately  to  ihe  puLl'c 


411  To  the  Names  of  Scotland 

good  of  the  prefent  and  future  generations,  while  the  people 
are  waiting  for  the  decifion  with  full  confidence  in  the  wif- 
doin  and  impartiality  of  thofe  to  whom  they  have  commit- 
ted the  important  trufl,  is  certainly  altogether  new.  We 
learn  indeed  from  hitlory,  that  fmall  tribes  and  feeble 
new  fettlements,  did  fometimes  employ  one  man  of  emi- 
nent w  ifdom,  to  prepare  a  fyftem  of  laws  for  them.  Even 
this  was  a  wife  meafure,  and  attended  with  happy  effefts. 
But  how  vaft  the  difference,  when  we  have  the  experi- 
ence of  all  pad  ages,  the  hiflory  of  human  fociety,  and 
the  well  known  caufes  of  profperity  and  mifery  in  other  go- 
vernments, to  affili:  us  in  the  choice. 

The  profpctSt  of  this  happy  circumfiance,  r.nd  the  pof- 
fiblllty  of  lofing  it,  and  fuffering  the  feafon  to.pafs  over, 
has  filled  me  with  anxiety  for  fome  time.  So  far  as  we 
have  hilherto  proceeded,  there  has  been  great  unanimity 
and  public  fpirit.  The  inhabitants  of  every  province, 
and  perfons  of  all  denominations,  have  vied  with  each 
other  in  zeal  for  the  common  intereft.  But  was  it  not  to 
be  feared  that  fome  men  would  acquire  over-bearing  influ- 
ence ?  that  human  weaknefs  and  human  paffions  would 
difcover  themfelves,  and  prevent  the  fmifliing  of  what 
had  been  fo  happily  begun.  In  the  time  of  the  civil  wars 
in  England,  had  they  fettled  a  regular  form  of  govern- 
ment as  foon  as  the  parliament  had  obtained  an  evident 
fuperiority,  their  liberties  would  never  have  been  fiiaken, 
and  the  revolution  would  have  been  unneceffary.  But  by 
delaying  tlie  thing  too  long,  they  were  broken  into  parties, 
and  bewildered  in  their  views,  and  at  lall  tamely  fubmit- 
ted  without  refiftance  to  that  very  tyranny  againft  which 
they  had  fougr.t  with  fo  much  glory  and  fuccefs.  For 
this  reafon  I  think  that  every  candid  and  liberal  mind 
ought  to  rejoice  in  the  meafures  lately  taken  through  the 
States  of  America,  and  particularly  the  late  declaration 
of  independance,  as  it  will  not  only  give  union  and  force 
to  the  meafures  of  defence  while  they  are  neceffary,  but 
lay  a  foundation  for  the  birth  of  millions,  and  the  future 
improvement  of  a  great  part  of  the  globe. 

I  have  only  further  to  obferve,  3.  That  I  am  confident 
the  Independence  of  America  will,  in  the  end,  be  to  the 


residing  in  America.  44^ 

Veal  advanta^  of  the  iflaiul  of  Great  Britain.  Were  this 
even  otherwile,  it  would  be  a  weak  argument  againfl  the 
claim  of  jullice.  Why  Ihould  the  fccurlty  or  profperity 
of  this  vaft  country  be  facrificed  to  the  ilippofcd  intercit 
of  an  inconfiderable  fpot  ?  But  I  cannot  believe  that  the 
mifery  and  fubje>l:\ion  of  any  country  on  earth,  is  necef- 
iary  to  the  happinefs  of  another.  Blind  partiality  and 
lelf  interefl may  reprefent  it  in  this  light;  but  the  opinion 
is  delufive,  the  fuppcfiticn  is  falfc.  'J^'he  fuccefs  and  in- 
creafe  of  one  nation  is,  or  may  be,  a  benefit  to  every  other. 
It  is  feldom,  indeed,  that  a  people  in  general  can  receive 
and  adopt  thefe  generous  fcntimcnts,  they  are  neverthe- 
lefs  perfectly  juft.  It  is  induftry  only,  and  not  poflcfTions, 
that  makes  the  ftrength  and  wealth  of  a  nation  ;  and  this 
is  not  hindered  but  encouraged,  provoked,  and  rewarded- 
by  the  indullry  of  others.* 

But  to  leave  the  general  principle,  or  rather  to  apply  it 
to  the  cafe  of  Great  l^ritain  and  America  :  AVhat  profit 
has  the  former  hitherto  received  from  the  latter  ?  and 
what  can  it  reafonably  expert  for  the  future  ?  Only  its 
trade,  and  fuch  part  of  that  trade  as  tends  to  encourage 
the  indullry  and  increafe  the  number  of  the  inhabitants 
of  that  ifland.  It  will  be  faid,  thev  intend  to  raife  a  larae, 
clear,  net  revenue  upon  us,  by  taxation.  It  has  been 
ihevvn  by  many,  that  all  the  taxes  which  they  could  railb 
would  only  ferve  to  feed  the  infatiable  defire  of  wealth  in 
placemen  and  penfioners,  to  increafe  the  influence  of  the 
crown,  and  the  corruption  of  the  people.  It  was  by  the 
acquifition  of  numerous  provinces  that  Rome  hallcncd  to 
its  ruin.  But  even  fuppofing  it  othcrwife,  and  that  with- 
out any  bad  confequence  among  themfelves,  they  were  to 
acquire  a  great  addition  to  their  yearly  revenue,  for  every 
Hulling  they  gained  by  taxes,  they  would  lofe  ten  in  the 
way  of  trade.  For  a  trifling  addition  to  the  funis  of  pub- 
lic money  to  be  applied  or  wailed  by  miniflers  of  itate, 
they  would  lofe  ten  times  the  quantity  diltributed  among 
ufeful  manufaclurcrs,  the  ftrength  and  glory  of  a  Hate.  I 
think  this  luiG  been  fometiines  compared  to  the  diiTerence 

•  Sec  Dav.J  Hiiinc's  EiTay  on  the  jeulouiy  oi*  traJui 

Vol.  II.  3  K 


40  ?^  the  Nathes  of  Scotland 

between  draughts  of  fpirituous  liquors  to  intoxicate  the 
head  or  weaken  the  ftomach,  and  cool  refrefliing  food  to 
give  foundnefs,  health  and  vigor  to  every  member  of  the 
body. 

The  trade,  then,  of  America,  as  foon  as  peace  is  fettled, 
will  be  as  open  to  them  as  ever.  But  it  Avill  be  faid,  they 
have  now  an  exclufive  trade,  they  will  then  but  fhare  it 
with  other  nations.  I  anfwer,  an  exclufive  trade  is  not 
eafily  preferved,  and  v/hen  it  is  preferved,  the  reftriftion  is 
commonly  more  hurtful  than  ufeful.  Trade  is  of  a  nice  and 
delicate  nature  ;  it  is  founded  upon  intereft.  It  will  force 
its  way  v/herever  intereft  leads,  and  can  hardly  by  any  art  be 
made  to  go  in  another  direclion.  The  Spaniards  have  an 
exclufive  trade,  as  far  as  they  pleafe  to  confine  it,  to  their  own 
plantations.  Bo  they  reap  much  benefit  from  it  ?  I  believe 
not.  Has  it  made  their  own  people  mxore  induflrious  at 
home  ?  Jufc  the  contrary.  Does  it,  in  the  natural  courfe 
of  things,  make  a  people  lefs  careful  to  work  as  well,  and 
as  cheap  as  others,  to  procure  voluntary  purchafers,  v/hen 
they  know  they  can  fend  their  goods  to  thofe  who  are 
obliged  to  take  them  ?  Does  it  not  both  tempt  and  enable 
great  merchants  in  the  capital,  to  import  from  other  na- 
tions what  they  can  export  to  fuch  a  forced  market,  to 
advantage  ?  By  this  means  a  confiderable  profit  may  come 
into  the  coffers  of  a  few  particulars,  while  no  effential  fer- 
vice  is  done  to  the  people,  and  the  ultimate  profit  is  car- 
ried to  that  country  where  the  goods  are  produced  or  fa- 
bricated. It  has  been  repeatedly  faid  by  political  writers 
in  England,  that  the  balance  of  trade  is  againft  that  coun- 
try to  every  nation,  excepting  Portugal  and  their  own 
plantations.  I  v/ill  not  anfwer  for  the  truth  or  univer- 
iality  of  this  affertion,  but  if  it  is  true  in  any  meafure,  I 
will  venture  to  aiiirm  upon  the  principles  of  general  rea- 
fon,  that  the  caufe  v/hich  produces  it,  is  no  other  than  the 
exclufive  trade  they  have  hitherto  enjoyed  to  the  Ameri- 
can fettlements. 

But  the  circumilance  which  I  apprehend  will  contri-- 
bute  moft  to  the  intereft  of  Great  Britain  in  American  In- 
dependence is,  its  influence  in  peopling  and  enriching 
this  great  continent.     It  will  certainly  tend  to  make  the 


residing  in  America,  447 

American  States  numerous,  powerful,  and  opulent,  to  a 
dec^ree  not  eafily  conceived.*  The  great  and  peuctrLitiiig 
MontefquieLi,  in  liis  Spirit  of  Laws,  has  lliewn  in  tlic 
cleareft  manner,  that  nothing  contributes  lb  much  to  the 
profperity  of  a  people,  as  the  ilate  of  fbciety  among  them, 
and  the  form  of  their  government.  A  free  government 
overcomes  every  obflacle,  makes  a  defart  a  fruitful  field, 
and  fills  a  bleak  and  barren  country  with  all  the  conveni- 
encies  of  life.  If  fo,  what  mult  be  the  operation  of  this 
powerful  caufe  upon  countries  enjoying  in  the  higheft  de- 
gree every  advantage  that  can  be  derived  from  l^tuation, 
climate,  and  foil  .-'  U  the  trade  of  America  has  hitherto 
been  of  fo  great  benefit  to  England,  how  much  more  va- 
luable may  it  be  v/hen  thefe  countries  fnall  be  flill  more 
highly  improved,  if  llie  fiiall  continue  to  enjoy  it  ?  This 
argument  is  liable  to  no  objection  but  what  may  arife  from 
the  lofs  of  an  exclufive  trade,  which  I  have  already  con- 
iidercd.  It  may  be  added,  however,  that  tliere  is  not  r.ow 
nor  ever  has  been,  any  averfion  in  the  Americans  to  the 
people  of  Great  Britain,  fo  that  they  may  be  fure  of  our 
trade  if  they  treat  us  as  well  as  others,  and  if  othervvife, 
they  do  not  deferve  it. 

I  might  illullrate  the  argument  by  flatlng  the  probable 
confequences  of  a  contrary  fuppofition.  If  Great  Britain 
Ihould  prevail,  or  overcome  the  American  States,  and 
ellablifli  viceroys  witli  abfolute  authority  in  every  province ; 
all  men  of  I'pirit  and  lovers  of  freedom  would  certainly 
withdraw  themfelves  to  a  corner,  if  fucii  could  be  found, 
out  of  the  reach  of  tyranny  and  opprefiion.  The  numbers 
of  the  people  at  any  rate  would  fcnfibly  decrcafe,  their 
wealth  would  be  fpeedily  exhaufted,  and  there  would  re- 
main only  a  nominal  authority  over  a  defolate  country,  in 
return  for  a  vafl;  expence  laid  out  in  the  conqueit,  and  in 
place  of  a  great  and  profitable  trade,  by  which  both  nations 
were  made  iiappy.  One  of  the  arguments,  if  they  may  be 
called  fo,  made  uie  of  againfc  this  country,  and  on  winch 
an  obligation  to  obedience  has  been  founded,  is  taken  from 
the  expence  they  have  been  at  in  blood  and  treafure  for 
our  prote<!tion  in  former  wars.  I'uis  argument  has  bt-'eii 
pften  anfwercd  in  the  fullell  manner,   but    if  they  iliaH 


448  To  the  Natives  of  Scotland 

continue  to  urge  it,  how  fearful  to  think  of  the  obligations 
we  fliall  be  under,  after  this  war  is  finiflied  ?  Then  Ihall 
we  owe  them  all  the  funis  which  they  Ihall  have  laid  out  in 
fubduing  us,  and  all  that  we  have  fpent  in  attempting  to 
prevent  it ;  all  the  blood  which  they  fliall  have  flied  in  at- 
tacking ns,  and  all  that  we  fhall  have  fpilt  in  our  ov/n  de- 
fence. There  is  unquellionably  a  lofs  to  Great  Britain 
^y  the  one  fide  of  the  account  as  well  as  the  other;  and 
it  tends  to  fhow,  in  the  cleareft  manner,  the  unfpeakable 
folly,  as  well  as  great  injuilice  of  the  promoters  of  this 
war. 

Thus  I  have  flated  to  you,  though  very  briefly,  the  princi- 
ples on  v/hichi  thinkthe  Americancaufe  ought  to  be  pleaded, 
and  on  which  it  ought  to  be  efpaufed  andfupported,  by  every 
loverof  juftice  and  of  mankind.  But  though  the  general  plea 
in  jufdce  were  lefs  clear  than  it  is,  there  is  a  light  in  which 
the  condu6l  of  the  oppofers  of  it  has  always  appeared  to  me 
unreafonable  and  ungenerous  to  the  highell  deoree.  That  re- 
fidance  to  Great  Britainhasbeen  determined  on,  in  tliemoit 
refolutc  manner, throughall  the  colonies,  by  avafl  majority, 
is  not  only  certain,  but  undeniable.  In  the  beginning  of  the 
controverfy,  fome  writers,  with  an  impudence  hardly  to  be 
paralleled,  called  the  fad  in  queflion,  attempted  to  de- 
ceive the  people  in  this  country,  and  effediualiy  deceived 
the  people  of  England,  by  making  them  believe  that  it 
was  only  a  fev/  factious  and  violent  men  that  had  engaged  in 
the  conteft.  It  is  not  very  long  fnice  a  writer  had  the  cou. 
rage  to  affert,  that  "  nine  tenths  of  the  people  of  Pemifyl, 
"  vania  Vv''ere  againfl  independence."  The  fallliocd  of 
fuch  rnifreprefentations  is  now  manifeft,  and  indeed  was 
probably  known  from  the  beginning  by  thole  who  defired 
to  have  them  believed.  Taking  this  for  granted,  then, 
for  an  inconfiderable  minority,  whether  natives  or  Gran- 
gers, to  let  themfelves  in  oppofition  to  the  public  councils, 
is  contrary  to  reafon  and  juftice,  and  even  to  the  very  firil 
principles  of  the  focial  life. 

If  there  is  any  principle  that  was  never  controverted 
upon  the  focial  union,  it  is,  that  as  a  body,  every  fociety 
mull  be  determined  by  the  plurality.  There  was  a  time 
when  it  was  not  only  jull  and  confiftent,  but  neceiTaryj^ 


residing  in  America,  449 

that  every  one  fliould  fpeak  his  mind  freely  and  fully  of 
the  necelfity  or  expediency  of  refilling  the  autb.ority  of 
Great  Britain.     But  that  time  is  over  long   ago.     The 
meafurcs  being  refolved  upon»  and  the  conflitl  begun,  one 
who  is  barely  neuter  can  fcarce  be  forgiven  |  a  fecret  plod- 
ding enemy  mull  be  confidered  as  a  traitori     Every  per- 
fon  who- continued  among  us  after  the  deciuve  relblutions 
formed  by  all  the  colonies,  ought   to   be   confidered  as 
pledging  his  iuith  and  honor  to  alUfc  in  the  common  caufe. 
Let  me  try  to  illullrate  it  by  a  fnnilar  cafe.     Suppofe  that 
a  Ihip  at  fca  fprings  a  leak,  which  expofes  tiie  whole  com- 
pany to  tiic  moll  imminent  danger  of  perilhing.    Supj^oie 
a  counfelis  called  of  all  the  perfonson  board  to  determine 
what   port  they  fliall  endeavor  to   gain,     "^riien  it  is  not 
only  the  right  but  the  duty  of  every  one  to  fpeak  his  own 
judgment,  and  to  prefs  it  upon  others  by  every  argument 
in 'his  power.     Suppofe   a  great  majority  determines  to 
pulh  for  a  certain  place,  and  to  go  to  the  pump  by  turns 
every  quarter  of  an  hour ;  but  that  two,  or  three,  or  one, 
if  you  pleafe,  is  of  opinion  that  they  flioi'Id  have  gone 
another  courfe,  becaufe  of  the  wind,  current,  or  any  other 
circumftance,  and  that  it  would  be  bell  to  change  hands 
at  the  pump  only  every  half  hour.      All  this  is  well.   But 
if  after  the  determination,  this  fame  gentleman,  becaufe 
his  advice  was  not  followed,  fliould  refufe  to  pump  at  all, 
Hiould  llily  alter  the  fliip's  courfe,  or  deaden  her  way  by 
every  means  in  his  power,  or  even  Ihould  only  by  con- 
tinual complaints  and  dcfpondent  fears,  difcourage  others, 
on  whole  activity  the  common  fafety  depended,  I  deRre  to 
know  what  treatment  he  v/ould  receive  or  deferve  ?  With- 
out doubt  he  would  be  thrown  over  board  in  lefs  time 
than  I  have  taken  to  Hate  the   cafe.     I  am  not   able  to 
perceive  the  Icall  difference  between  this  fu ppofition  and 
what  takes  place  in  America  at  the  prefent  time. 

If  this  argument  is  jull  with  refpect  to  every  inhabitant 
of  the  country,  it  ouglit  to  have  fome  additional  weight 
with  thofe  who  are  not  natives,  and  whole  refidence  is  not 
certain  or  has  not  been  long.  There  is  a  great  ciegret:  ot 
indecency  in  fuch  taking  any  part  againft  v.'lnt  the  ma- 
jority of  the  inhabitants  think  to  be  tlieir  interclt  and  that 


45 cv  To  the  Natives  of  Scotland^  he. 

of  their  country.  Were  they  even  wrong,  their  miflake 
fliould  be  lamented,  not  refilled ;  on  the  contrary,  it  would 
be  the  part  both  of  generofity  and  juftice  to  fupport  them 
cffedlualiy  in  a  conteft  which  wifdom  would  have  de- 
clined. We  fee  indeed,  every  day,  melancholy  inilances 
of  a  bafe  and  felfifh  temper  operating  different  ways. 
Many  when  they  do  not  obtain  that  rank  and  honor  which 
their  pride  and  partiality  think  their  due,  or  if  their  ad- 
vice is  not  followed,  immediately  renounce  the  fervice  of 
their  country,  and  it  may  go  to  deftrudion  for  them.  In 
oppofition  to  this,  let  me  recommend  the  example  of  the 
illuftrious  Fabius  of  Rome.  He  had  given  ftrid  orders  to 
all  his  officers  not  to  engage  the  enemy,  but  to  keep  at  a 
diilance.  Unluckily  his  lieutenant-general,  by  his  own 
i-ailmefs,  got  entangled  with  a  part  of  the  army  under  his 
command,  and  was  engaged.  Fabius,  preferring  his  coun- 
try's good  to  fame,  rivalfliip,  and  fafety,  came  immedi- 
ately .  to  his  fupport  with  all  expedition,  and  thereby 
gained  a  glorious  and  complete  vi^lory. 

I  hope  you  v/ill  take  in  good  part  the  above  reflec- 
tions, which  I  think  contain  nothing  that  is  virulent  or 
indecent  againfl  any  man  or  body  of  men.  They  are 
the  elTefts  of  judgment  and  conviftion.  The  author,  as 
is  probably  known  to  many  of  you,  has  been  perfonally 
abufed  in  news-papers  at  home,  for  the  part  he  was  fup- 
pofed  to  have  taken  in  the  American  caufe,  which  was 
in  fome  degree  indeed  the  motive  to  this  addrefs.  He 
hopes  that  an  honelt  and  faithful  fupport  of  liberty  and 
equal  government  in  this  part  of  the  world,  will  be  no 
juil  reproach  to  his  charaftcr,  either  as  a  fcholar,  a  mi- 
nifter,  or  a  Ghriftian ;  and  that  it  is  perfe(5tly  confident 
with  an  undiminilhed  regard  for  the  country  which  gave 
him  birth. 

The  above  is  fubmitted  to  your  candid  perufal,  by, 
Gentlemen, 

Your  fincere  friend,  and 
Obedient  humble  fervant. 

The  Author. 


C   451   ] 


I  oooc  ax»  vo**  o»M  •»>  •«"  ««•  ««»•  "o*"  ""^^  ••**  •••♦  *•"  ***•  ••"  ••"  •**  ■**  '•'•  ' 
( owM  o»c3  «•»  owe  «M*  100c  ««•  eow  0000  <»«>  mm  mo*  0009  cooo  mm  •mj  ix»  mm  oc»  < 


DELIVERED   at    a    PUBLIC  THANKSGIVING 
AFTER  PEACE. 

A 

SERMON. 


Psalm  iii.  8. 
Salvation  belongeih  unto  the  Lord. 
My  Brethren, 

WE  arc  met  together  in  obedience  to  public  authori- 
ty, to  keep  a  day  of  folemn  thankfgiving  to  God, 
for  the  goodnefs  of  his  providence  to  the  United  States  of 
America,  in  the  courfe  of  a  war  which  has  now  lafted  feveii 
years,  with  a  powerful  and  formidable  nation.  "We  arc 
particularly  called  upon  to  give  thanks  for  the  fignal  fuc- 
ccffes  with  which  it  hath  pleafed  him  to  blefs  our  arms  and 
thofe  of  our  allies,  in  the  courfe  of  the  lafl  year,  and  the 
campaign  which  is  now  drawing  to  a  clofe.  I  need  fay 
nothing*^of  the  importance  of  the  great  conteft  in  which 
we  have  been  fo  long  engaged,or  the  interefling  alternative 
which  depends  upon  the  iifue,  as  thefe  feem  to  have  been 
felt  in  the  fulleft  manner  by  all  ranks  in  this  country  from 
the  beginning.  The  language  even  of  the  common  peo- 
ple will  convince  every  man  of  rcfle^iion  that  they  are 
univerfally  fenfible  how  much  is  at  itake.  My  proper 
bufmefs  therefore  is  to  engage  every  pious  hearer  to  adore 
the  providence  of  God  in  general,  to  offer  with  fmccritv 


45^  Thanksgiving  Sermon. 

and  gratitude  the  facrifice  of  praife  for  his  many  mercies^ 
and  to  make  a  wife  and  juft  improvement  of  the  prefent 
promifing  fit  nation  of  public  affairs. 

Many  who  now  hear  me  arc  witnefies  that  it  has  never 
been  my  practice,  for  reafons  v/hich  appear  to  me  to  be 
good,  to  intermix  politics  with  the  ordinary  fervice  of  the 
landuary,  on  tlie  weekly  returns  of  the  chriilian  fabbath, 
further  than  fervent  fupplications  to  the  Throne  of  Grace 
for  divine  direftion  to  the  public  counfels,  and  afiillance  to 
thole  who  are  employed  in  the  public  fervice.  But  on 
days  of  this  kind  it  becomes  part  of  a  miniiier's  duty  to  di- 
rect the  attention  of  the  hearers  to  events  of  a  public  na- 
ture. This  you  know  I  did  with  great  concern  and  at 
conliderable  length  fix  years  ago  on  a  public  Fall  Day.  1 
would  therefore  willingly  in  this  more  advanced  period, 
take  a  view  of  what  is  pall,  and  endeavor  to  direft  you  in 
whatremauis  of  your  duty  to  God,  to  your  country,  and 
to  yourfelves. 

For  this  purpofe  I  have  chofen  the  words  of  the  Pfalmift 
David,  now  read  which  are  part  of  a  pfalm  generally  thought 
to  have  been  compofed  by  the  royal  author  before  the 
war  with  Abfalom  his  unnatural  fon,  was  wholly  finiflied, 
but  when  he  had  fuch  prefages  of  fuccefs  as  made  him 
fpeak  the  language  of  faith  and  confidence.  *'  I  laid 
'•  me  down  and  ilept :  I  awaked  for  the  Lord  fuflained 
*'  me.  I  will  not  be  afraid  of  ten  thoufands  of  people  that 
"  have  let  themfelves  againft  nie  round  about.  Arife  O 
*'  Lord,  lave  me,  O  my  God;  for  thou  haft  fmitten  all  mine 
"  enemies  upon  the  cheek-bone:  thou  hail  broken  the  teeth 
"  of  the  ungodly.  Salvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord  ; 
"  thy  blelling  is  upon  thy  people.     Selah." 

In  difcourfing  upon  this  fubje*^,  I  propofe,  through  the 
afiillance  of  divine  grace, 

L  To  explain  and  Hate  the  proper  meaning  of  this  ex- 
preffion  or  lentiment  of  the  infpired  pfalmiH,  "  falvation 
"•^  belongeth  unto  the  Lord." 

II.  To  lay  before  you  a  fuccindt  view  of  what  the 
United  States  of  America  owe  to  divine  providence  in  the 
courfci  of  the  prefent  war. 


Tbcviksgiving  Scrmoii.  4j^ 

III.  To  make  a  praflical  improvement  of  the  fubjeft 
for  your  in!lrii6lioii  and  direction. 

FirS^dien,  lam  to  explain  and  fi ate  the  proper  meaning* 
of  mis  exi)ref]ion  or  fentiment  of  the  infpired  pfahnift:, 
"  fdlvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord."  Tills  I  mean  to 
do  by  adhering  ilriclly  to  what  appears  to  be  the  mind  of 
the  fpirit  of  God,  in  the  pafliige  before  us,  as  well  as  in  a 
manner  agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  faith.  -As  religion 
is  the  fame  in  fubflance  in  tv^ry  a^e,  the  reflexions  of  pious 
pcrfons  in  the  courfe  of  providence  arife  from  the  fame 
examples  and  lead  to  the  fame  end.  The  words  may  jafHy 
be  fuppofed  to  contain  the  pfalmiU's  thankful  acknowledg- 
ment of  die  pad:  mercies  of  God,  as  v/tll  as  the  foundation 
of  his  future  fecurity.  They  carry  in  them  a  general 
confefTion  of  the  influence  of  divine  providence  upon  eve- 
ry event,  and  in  particular  with  refpc(t  to  salvation^  or 
deliverance  from  impending  danger.  In  this  view  when 
he  fays  "  falvation  belongeth  unto  the  I.oicl."  It  feems 
io  imply  the  tiu^ee  following  things, 

I.  That  "  falvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord,"  asdiflin- 
guifiied  from  human  or  created  help,  and  therefore  all  con- 
fidence in  man  flands  oppofed  to  the  fentiment  exprdled 
by  the  holy  pfalmilt  in  the  text.  It  is  not  oj)pofed  to  the 
ufe  or  application  of,  but  to  an  excefTive  or  undue  reliance 
on  human  means,  or  fecond  caufts  of  any  kind.  It  im- 
plies, that  fuccefs  in  any  attempt  is  to  be  ultimately  at- 
tributed to  God.  That  it  is  he  who  by  his  providence  pro- 
vides outward  mean:;,  who  raifcs  up  friends  to  his  people, 
or  caufes  their  enei^i'tcs  to  be  at  peace  ivith  them.  Th.at 
it  is  he  who  in  cafes  of  difficulty  and  danger,  direds  their 
hands  to  war  and  their  fingers  to  fight,  and  finally  crowns 
their  endeavors  with  fuccefs.  Whellier  thercfoi-e  the 
outward  advantages  are  great  or  final  1,  whether  the  ex- 
p«(Slation,  or  the  probability  of  fuccefs  lias  been  llrongf  or 
weak,  lie  v/ho  confcfies  that  ialvatlon  belongeth  unto  God, 
will  finally  give  the  glory  to  him.  Confidence  before,  and 
boafting  after  the  event,  are  alike  contrary  to  tills  difpo- 
fitlon.  If  any  perfon  dolnvs  to  have  his  faith  in  this 
truth,  connrmed  or  improved,  let  him  read  the  hifior}'-  of 
mankind,  in  a  cool  and  confiderate  manner,  and  \'r:l\  * 

Vol.  II.  X  L 


454  Thanhgh'ing  Sermon. 

ferious  frame  of  fpirlt.  He  will  then  perceive  that  eveiy 
pa2;e  will  add  to  his  convidlion.  He  will  find  that  the  ' 
mod  important  events  have  feemed  to  turn  upon  circum- 
fiances  the  moil  trivial  and  the  mod  out  of  the  reach  of 
liuman  direftion.  A  blaft  of  wind,  a  fliower  of  rain,  a 
random  fliot,  a  private  quarrel,  thenegleft  of  a  fervant,  a 
motion  without  intention,  or  a  word  fpoken  by  accident 
and  mifunderllood,  has  been  the  caufe  of  a  victory  or  de- 
feat which  has  decided  the  fate  of  empires.  Whoever  with 
thefe  fafts-  in  his  view,  believes  the  conflant  influence 
and  over-ruling  power  of  divine  Providence,  will  know 
what  the  Pfalmill  means  when  he  fays,  "  Salvation  be- 
"  longeth  unto  the  Lord." 

2.  In  this  fentiment,  the  Pfalmiil  feems  to  have  had 
in  view  the  omnipotence  of  Providence  ;  that  nothing  is 
impoffible  with  God  ;  that  there  is  no  flate  fo  dangerous, 
no  enemy  fo  formidable,  but  he  is  able  to  work  deliver- 
ance. He  has  not  only  the  direction  and  government  of 
means  and  fecond  caufes,  but  is  himfelf  fuperior  to  all 
means.  The  word  sahatlon^\^l\iQ.TvX  isapplied  in  fcriptureto 
temporal  danger,  generally  figniiies  a  great  and  didin- 
guiflied  deliverance.  Thus  it  is  ufed  by  Mofes,  Exodus 
xiv.  13.  "  Stand  dill  and  fee  the  falvation  of  God  ;"  and 
in  the  fame  manner,  i  Sam.  xiv.  45.  *'  Shall  Jonathan 
"  die,  who  hath  wrought  this  great  falvation  in  ifrael  ?" 
When,  tlierefore,  a  perfon  or  people  are  threatened  with 
evils  of  the  mod  dreadful  kind  :  when  they  are  engaged 
in  a  conflidl  very  unequal ;  when  they  are  driven  to  ex- 
tremity,  and  have  no  refource  left  as  means  of  defence  : 
then,  if  the  caufe  in  which  they  are  engaged  is  rigliteous 
and  jud,  they  may  cry  to  God  for  relief.  The  fentiment 
exprelled  by  the  Pfalmiil  ought  to  bear  tliem  up  againd 
defpair ;  and  they  may  fay  as  the  angel  to  the  father  of 
the  faithful,  "  Is  there  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord?'* 
There  are  many  indances  in  icripture  of  fignal  deliver- 
ance granted  to  the  fervants  of  God,  fome  of  them  even 
wholly  miraculous,  which  teach  us  to  fet  our  hope  in  his 
mercy,  and  not  to  fuffer  his  mighty  works  to  iiip  out  of 
our  minds.  This  is  theexercife  of  faith  in  an  unchange- 
able God — "  the  fame  yederday,  to-day,  and  forever." 


Thanhghing  Scrmc/i.  455 

3.  This  fentiment  has  rcfpedt  to  the  mercy  and  good- 
nefs  of  God,  or  his  readineis  to  hear  tlic  cry  of  tlic  op- 
prefled,  and  fend  deliverance  to  his  people.  This  circuni- 
llance  is  necefiliry  to  be  taken  in,  to  make  him  the  proper 
object  of  faith  and  triifl: ;  and  it  mufl  be  combined  with 
the  other,  to  give  us  a  complete  view  of  the  influence  of 
Providence.  Power  and  wifdom  alone,  give  an  imperfect 
difplay  of  the  divine  character.  It  would  give  little  fup- 
port  under  the  preifure  of  affliction,  to  have  a  general  or 
theoretical  perfuafion,  that  all  things  are  polfible  with  God : 
but  if  we  believe  his  readinefs  to  interpofe,  and  fee  our 
title  clear  to  implore  his  help,  we  have  that  hope  which  is 
juftly  called,  "the  anchor  of  the  foul,  fure  and  ftedfall." 
In  this  fenfe,  falvation  belonf^etli  unto  God  ;  it  is  his  pre- 
rogative ;  it  is  his  glory.  'I'he  promife  fo  often  repeated 
in  the  fame  or  fimilar  terms,  is  addrcflcd  both  to  nations 
and  particular  perfons.  "  He  Ihall  call  upon  me,  and  I 
"  will  anfwer  him.  1  will  be  with  him  in  trouble,  to  deli- 
"  ver  him,  and  to  honor  him.  The  righteous  cry,  and 
"  the  Lord  heareth  and  delivereth  him  out  of  all  his  trou- 
"  bles.  Many  are  the  afflidlions  of  the  rlglileous  ;  but  the 
"  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of  them  all." 

Having  briefly  ftatcd  diefe  known  and  general  truths,  I 
proccedto  die  fj;XiUitland  principal  diing  propofed,wliich  was 
to  lay  bdbre  you  a  fuccintl  vievv'  of  v/hal  the  United  States 
of  America  owe  to  divine  Providence,  in  the  courfe  of  lljie 
prefent  war.  On  confidering  this  part  of  the  fubjcct,  a 
difficulty  prefents  itfelf  as  to  the  manner  cf  handling  it. 
I  am  defirous  of  doing  it  fome  mcafure  of  juflice,  and  at 
the  fame  time  of  avoiding  exccffive  prolixity,  or  a  tedious 
enumeration  of  particular  fatSls.  To  unite  thefe  two  pur- 
pofes  as  much  as  poflible,  I  will  divide  what  I  liave  to 
fay  into  dillinft  branches ;  and  after  a  few  words  of  illul- 
tration  on  each  of  them,  leave  it  to  eveiy  hearer  to  adel 
fuch  farther  examples  as  may  have  fallen  within  his  own 
obfervation.  The  branches  I  would  feparately  conlider,  are 
the  following:  i.  Signal  fuccellcs  or  particular  and  provi- 
dential favors  to  us  in  the  courfe  of  the  war.  2.  Preferwi- 
tioa  from  difficulties  and  evils  v/hicli  Teemed  to  be  in  our 


456  Thanksgiving  Sermon. 

fitiiaUon  unavoidable,  and  at  die  fame  time  next  to  infitr- 
mountable.  3.  Confounding  the  councils  of  our  enemies, 
and  making  them  haflen  on  the  change  which  they  defirecl 
to  prevent. 

I.  Signal  fuccelTes  or  providential  favors  to  us  in  the 
courfe  of  the  war.  Here  I  mufl  niention  vv^hat  happened 
at  the  beginning  of  the  contefl,  and  prevented  us  from 
being  cruihed  in  the  very  out-fet,  although  it  is  now  in  a 
manner  wholly  forgotten.  Let  ns  remember  our  true  ii- 
tuation,  after  we  had  made  the  moft  public  and  pereu/p- 
tory  declarations  of  our  determination  to  defend  our  liber- 
ties. There  was  a  willing  fpirit,  but  unarmed  hands.. 
Our  enemies  have  all  along  charged  us  v.'ith  a  deliberate 
concerted  purpofe  of  breaking  wAth  them,  and  fetting  up 
an  independent  empire.  The  falOiood  of  this  accuiation 
might  be  made  to  appear  from  many  circumflances  ;  as 
there  being  no  pre-contract  among  the  Rates  themfelves, 
nor  any  attempt  to  engage  allies  or  alfidance  in  Europe, 
and  feveral  others.  But  though  there  were  no  other  argu- 
ment at  all,  it  is  fufficiently  proved  by  the  total  want  of 
arms  and  ammunition  to  fupply  us  even  during  the  firll 
fcages  of  refillance.  The  nakednefs  of  the  country  in  this 
refpedt  is  Avell  knov/n ;  and  our  enemies  endeavored  to 
avail  themfelves  of  it  by  taking  every  meafure  to  prevent 
their  being  brought  to  us.  This  difficulty  was  got  over  by 
many  providential  fupplies,  without  the  care  or  iorefight 
of  thofe  v/ho  were  at  the  head  of  aruiirs,  and  particularly 
by  m.any  unexpected  captures  from  our  enemies  them- 
felves. 

How  contrary  to  human  appearance  and  human  con- 
ieitures  have  many  circumflances  turned  out  ?  it  was 
univcrfally  fuppoied  at  firft  that  we  lliould  be  able  to  do 
nothing  at  all  at  fca,  becaufs  of  the  great  naval  pov.er  of 
the  enemy ;  yet  the  fuccefs  of  our  private  velTels  has  been 
one  of  the  molt  powerful  means  of  diilreffing  them,  and 
fupporting  us.  I  cannot  help  in  particular  taking  notice, 
that  the  eallern  flateswhich  were  the  fn-ftobjcdts  of  their  ven- 
geance, were  actually  in  their  pofleffion,  and  feemed  to  be 
devoted  to  pillage  and  deftruftion  ;  yet  in  a  fliort  time 
they  were  delivered,  anct  have  in  the  courlb  oi  the  w^d- 


Tbanksghing  Sermon.  457 

acquired  a  greater  accefTion  of  vvcaltli  and  power  tlian  it 
is  probable  they  could  have  done  in  the  I'anic  period  of 
fecurity  and  peace. 

It  falls  to  be  taken  notice  of  under  this  branch  of  the 
fubjsft,  that  our  nioft  fignal  fuccefles  have  generally 
been  when  we  had  the  weakefl  hopes  or  the  p;reatell  fears. 
What  could  be  more  difcouraginp^  thr.n  our  fituaiion  at  the 
clofc  of  the  year  1776  .•'  when,  after  general  Howe's  arri- 
val with  f©  powerful  and  well  appointed  an  arniauicnt, 
our  army  enlifled  but  for  a  few  months,  was  -almoll  en- 
tirely difpcrfed  ?  Yet  then  did  the  furprile  of  the  lief- 
fians  at  Trenton,  and  the  fubfcquent  vidory  at  Princeton, 
niife  the  drooping  fpirits  of  the  country,  ar.d  gi\c  a  now 
turn  to  our  affairs.  Thefe  advantages  redounded  greatly 
to  the  honor  of  the  commander  in  chief  who  planned,  and 
the  handfid  of  troops  with  him,  who  executed  the  mea- 
fures,  as  is  confelfed  by  all ;  yet  were  they  of  Ail  I  greater 
moment  to  the  caufe  of  America  in  general,  than  they 
were  brilliant  as  military  exploits.  This  place  and  neigh- 
borhood having  been  the  fcene  of  thefe  a6lions,  cannot 
but  make  them  and  their  confeqiiences  frefli  in  the  me- 
mory of  every  one  who  now  hears  nie. 

The  great  vidory  oAer  general  Burgoyne  and  his  ar- 
my, (weakened  at  Bennington,  and  taken  prifoners  at  Sa- 
ratoga,) which  opened  the  eyes  of  Europe  in  general, 
and  in  fome  degree  even  of  Britain,  happened  at  a  tiire 
when  many  were  difcouraged.  It  happened  when  after 
the  lofles  of  Brandy  Wine  and  Germantown,  the  Britilh 
were  in  pofleflion  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  Congrels  of 
the  United  States  were  obliged  to  tly  to  a  diftant  p^irt  of 
the  country.  It  happened  not  long  after  our  difgraceful  liiglit 
from  Ticonderoga,  and  tlie  fcandalous  lofs  of  that  poll, 
which  was  every  where  faid  and  thoi:ght  to  be  the  key  01  the 
continent,  and  the  poflefTion  of  it  elfential  to  our  iccurit\'. 
"VV  e  nmll  not  omit  to  obfervc  that  this  vidory  over  a  numer- 
ous army  of  Briti fii  regulars,  was  obtained  by  an  army 
compofed  in  a  great  meafure  of  militia  fuddenly  coUed- 
ed,  and  freemen  of  the  country  wlio  turned  out  as  vo- 
lunteers. 


45^  Tbanksghing  Sermon. 

.  In  the  fame  manner  our  late  aftonifliing  fuccefs  in  the 
fouth  began  when  our  affairs  in  that  part  of  the  continent 
wore  a  moil:  difcouraging  afpecl.  The  year  17  8 1  which 
began  with  mutiny  in  the  northern  army,  and  weakiiel's 
in  the  fouthern,  produced  more  inflances  of  gallantry  and 
military  prowefs  than  all  the  former,  and  was  clofed  with 
a  vidory  more  glorious  to  us,  and  more  humiliating  to 
the  enemy,  than  any  thing  that  had  before  happened  du- 
ring the  courfe  of  die  war. 

It  was  furely  a  great  favor  of  Providence  to  ralfe  up  for 
us  fo  great  and  illuflricus  an  ally  in  Europe.  This 
Prince  has  affifled  us  as  you  all  know  in  a  very  pov/erful 
and  effedual  manner,  and  has  granted  that  affifiance  upon 
a  footing  fo  generous  as  well  as  juft,  that  our  enemies  will 
not  yet  believe,  but  there  mufl  be  fome  fecret  and  partial 
llipulations  in  favor  of  himfelf  and  his  fubjefts,  although 
no  fuch  thing  exifts. 

Let  me  add  to  all  thefe  the  providing  for  us  a  perfon 
who  was  fo  eminently  qualiiied  for  the  arduous  talk  of 
commander  in  chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States. 
I  mull  make  fome  apology  here.  None  who  know  me, 
I  think  will  charge  me  with  a  difpoftion  to  adulation  or 
grofs  flattery  of  living  characters.  I  am  of  opinion  and 
have  often  expreffed  it,  that  the  time  for  fixing  a  man's 
character  is  after  death  has  fet  his  leal  upon  it,  and  fa- 
vor fear  and  friendfliip  are  at  end.  For  this  reafon  I 
do  not  mean  to  give  a  general  or  full  character  of  the 
perfon  here  in  view.  But  in  Ipeaking  of  the  kindnefs 
of  Providence  to  the  United  States,  it  would  be  a  cul- 
pable negied  not  to  mention  that  feveral  of  his  chr.rac- 
terftic  qualities  feem  fo  perfeQly  fuited  to  our  wants, 
that  we  muft  confider  his  appointment  to  the  fervice, 
and  the  continued  health  with  which  he  has  been  blefied, 
as  a  favor  from  the  God  of  heaven.  Confider  his  cool- 
nefs  and  prudence,  his  fortitude  and  perfeverancc,  his 
happy  talent  of  engaging  the  afiedion  of  ail  ranks,  fo  that 
he  is  equally  acceptable  to  the  citizen,  and  to  the  foldier 
— to  the  ftate  in  which  he  was  born,  and  to  every  other 
on  the  continent.  To  be  a  brave  man,  or  Ikiltul  com- 
mander, is  conmion  to  him  widi  many  others;  but  this 


.  Thiinksghnng  Sermon.  459 

country  flood  in  need  of  a  comprchenfivc  and  pcnctra- 
ting  niin.l,  which  underllood  the  cflba  of  purticular  mca- 
fares  in  bringing  the  genevcd  caufc  to  an  iiVue,  When  we 
conti-afl  his  charafter  and  conduft  with  thofe  of  the  va- 
rious leaders  that  have  been  oppofcd  to  him,  when  we 
confuler  their  attempts  to  blaft  each  others  reputation, 
and  the  fhort  duration  of  their  command,  we  mull  fay 
that  Providence  has  fitted  him  for  the  charge,  and  called 
him  to  the  fervice. 

This  head  can  hardly  be  better  clofed  than  with  tnc 
extraordinary  interpofition  of  divine  Providence  for  the 
difcovery  of  "the  black  treachery  of  Arnold,  who  intended 
to  put  one  of  the  moft  important  fortrefles,  and  the  ge- 
neral himfclf  into  the  enemies  hands.  This  defign  was 
ripe  for  execution,  and  the  time  of  execution  was  at 
hand.  As  there  was  no  fufpicion  of  the  traitor,  no  mea- 
fures  Averc,  or  could  be  taken  for  preventing  it.  The 
meetino-  of  the  fpy  with  two  fi'iends  of  America,  which 
Was  entirely  cafual,  the  unaccountable  embarailment  of 
that  artful  perfon,  when  with  a  little  addrefs,  lie  might 
cafilv  have  extricated  himfelf ;  and  indeed,  the  wh.ole  cir- 
cum'ftmces  of  that  affair,  clearly  point  out  the  finger  of 

^^^'  .    n  fir  r 

I  might  have  added  many  more  inltances  ot  the  lavor  o. 

providelice  in  particular  events,  but  v/hat  have  been  men- 
tioaed,  I  think  are  fully  fufficient  for  the  purpofe,  for 
which  they  are  adduced,  and  \rill  lead  the  hearers  to  the 
recolledtion  of  others  of  a  fimilar  kind. 

The  lecQiliLpart  of  my  obfervations,  mull  be  on  the 
difficulties  and  dangers,  which  feemed  to  be  in  our  fitua- 
tion,  unavoidable,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  next  to  mlur- 
mountable.  The  firil  of  this  kind,  which  I  fliall  mention, 
isdiflention,  or  the  oppofiticn  of  one  colony  to  another. 
On  this  our  enemies  reckoned  very  much,  from  the  be- 
ginning. Evcii  before  the  war  broke  out,  reaiop.crs  leem-^ 
ed  to  build  their  hopes,  of  the  colonies  not  breaking  off 
f -om  the  mother  country,  for  ages,  upon  the  imponibiiitv 
of  their  uniting  their  itrength,  and  forming  one^compaa 
body,  either  for  offence  or  rtfillance.  To  fay  the  truth, 
the  danger  was  great  and  real.     It  was  ow  this  account. 


4^ o  Tbanksg'rcing  Sermcn^ 

forefeen  nncl  dreaded,  and  all  true  patriots  were  anxious 
to  guard  againll  it.  Great  thanks,  doubtlefs,  are  due  to 
many  citizens  in  every  ftate,  for  their  virtuous  efforts  to 
promote  the  general  union.  Thefe  efforts  have  not  been 
without  effeft ;  but  I  am  of  opinion,  that  union  has  been 
liitherto  preferved  and  promoted,  to  a  degree  that  no  man 
ventured  to  predi(5t,  and  very  few  had  the  courage  to  hope 
for.  I  confefs  myfelf,  from  the  beginning,  to  liave  appre- 
hended more  danger,  from  this,  than  from  any  other 
quarter,  and  nmll:  now  declare,  that  my  fears  have  been 
wholly  difappointed,  and  my  hopes  have  been  greatly  ex- 
ceeded. In  the  public  councils,  no  mark  of  diffention,  in 
matters  of  importance,  has  ever  appeared  ;  and  I  take  upon 
me  further  to  lay,  that  every  year  has  obliterated  colonial 
dillincllons,  and  v/orn  away  local  prejudices,  fo  that  mu- 
tual affedllon,  is  at  prefent  more  cordial,  and  the  views 
and  works  of  the  whole,  more  uniform,  than  ever  they 
\vere,  at  any  preceding  period. 

Having  mentioned  the  union  and  harmony  of  the  Uni- 
ed  States,  it  will  be  very  proper  to  add,  that  the  harmony, 
that  has  prevailed  in  the  allied  army,  is  another  fignal 
mercy,  for  which  Vv'e  oug;ht  to  be  thankful  to  God.  It  is 
exceedingly  common,  for  diffention  to  take  place,  between 
troops  of  different  nations,  when  adting  together.  In  the 
.iLngliili  liiftory,  we  meet  v/ith  few  examples  of  conjund; 
expeditions,  with  fea  and  land  forces,  in  which  the  har- 
mony has  been  complete.  Our  enemies  did  not  fail  to 
make  ufe  of  every  topic,  which  they  apprehended,  would 
be  inflanmiatory  and  popular,  to  produce  jealoufies  be- 
tween us  and  our  allies.  Yet  it  has  been  v/holly  in  vain. 
Not  only,  have  the  ofEcers  and  foldiers  of  the  American 
and  French  armies,  afted  together,  with  perfeft  cordiality, 
but  the  troojxs  of  our  allies,  have  met  \vith  a  hearty  wel- 
come, v/herever  they  have  been,  from  the  people  of  the 
country  ;  and  indeed,  juft  fuch  a  reception  as  fliows  they 
were  elleemed  to  be  of  die  utmoft:  importance  and  utility 
tu  ['  e  Amei'lcan  caufe. 

Another  difficulty  v/e  had  to  encounter,  v/as  the  want 
of  money  ar.d  refourccs  for  carrying  on  the  Vvar.  To  re- 
medy this  evil  an  expedient  was  fallen  u^ion  v.-liich  I  do 


ThaJihghing  Sermon.  461 

not  look  upon  myfelf  as  obliged  either  to  judify  or  approve. 
It  was,  however  embniced  by  the  plurality  as  nccclFary, 
and  upon  the  whole,  Ids  hazardous  than  any  other,  which 
in  our  lituation  was  pradllcable.  The  diiliculty  of  raifnig, 
clothing,  paying  and  fiipporting  an  army  with  a  depre- 
ciated currency,  which  ils  own  nature,  the  arts  of  inter- 
eflcd  pcrfons,  and  the  unwearied  attempts  of  our  enemies 
were  pufliing  on  to  annihilation,  may  be  eafily  perceived. 
Yet  the  war  has  not  only  been  I'upported,  but  we  have 
feen  the  /all  and  ruin  of  ihe  money  itl'elf  without  the  leall 
injury,  to  the  public  caufe.  Without  injury  did  I  f^iy,  it 
was  to  the  unfpeakable  benefit  of  the  public  caufe.  Many 
private  perfons  indeed,  have  fuffered  fuch  injury  as  not 
only  merits  pity,  but  calls  for  redrefs,  and  I  hope  the 
time  will  come,  when  all  the  redrefs  fliall  be  given  that 
the  nature  of  the  thing  and  the  Hale  of  the  country,  will 
admit.  In  the  mean  time,  when  we  relledl  upon  what  is 
pall,  we  have  a  proof  of  the  general  r.ttachment  of  the 
country  to  the  caufe  of  liberty,  the  firongcft  pei'haps  that 
can  well  be  conceived,  and  we  fee  a  circumftance  from 
which  we  feared  the  greateil  evil,  adding  its  force  to 
many  others  in  blinding  our  enemies,  miileading  their 
meafures,  and  diiappointing  their  expedations. 

Another  difiiculty  we  had  before  us  was  the  being  obli- 
ged to  encounter  the  whole  force  of  the  Britilh  nation, 
with  an  army  compofed  of  raw  ibldiers,  unacquainted 
with  military  difcipline.  The  dilTiculty  was  increafed  by 
our  own  conduft,  viz.  filling  our  army  with  foldiers  cn- 
lifted  for  lliort  periods.  Tlie  views  of  thofe  who  preferred 
this  method  was  certainly  very  honorable,  though  the 
v/ifdom  of  it  is  at  leall  very  difputable.  They  hoped  it 
v;ould  make  every  man  in  America  a  foldier  in  a  fliort 
time.  This  eHed  indeed,  it  has  in  a  good  degree  pro- 
duced by  the  frequent  calls  of  the  militia,  wherever  the 
enemy  appeared.  They  alfo  apprehended  danger  from 
a  Handing  army,  unconnected  with  civil  life,  v/ho  af- 
ter they  had  conquered  their  enemies  might  give  caufe  of 
jealoufy  to  their  friends.  Tlie  hiftory  of  other  countries 
in  general,  and  in  particular  that  of  the  civil  wars  in 
Eu'^land  agaialt  Charles  tlie  firll,  fcemed  to  give  plaufa- 

VoL.  II.  3  M 


462  Thanksgmng  Sermon. 

bllity  to  this  reafon,  though  from  feveral  circumflanCeS 
there  was  lels  caufe  of  fear  in  America,  than  would  have 
been  in  one  of  the  European  ftates.  However  the  med,- 
fure  was  rcfolved  upon  by  the  plurality  at  firft,  and  we 
felt  the  inconvenience  of  it  very  feverely ;  but  is  pleafed 
God  to  preferve  us  from  utter  deflrudtion,  to  fet  bounds 
to  the  progrefs  of  our  enemies,  and  to  give  time  to  the 
flates  to  make  better  and  more  effeftual  provifion  for 
their  final  overthrow. 

The  only  other  danger  I  lliall  mention,  was  that  of  an- 
archy and  confufion,  when  government  under  the  old 
formwas  at  an  end,  and  every  Hate  v/as  obliged  to  cftablilh 
civil  conftitutions  for  preferving  internal  order,  at  the 
very  fame  time  that  they  had  to  refift  the  efforts  of  a 
powerful  enemy  from  without,  l^his  danger  appeared 
fo  confiderable  that  fome  of  the  king  of  Great  Britian's  go- 
vernors ran  off  early,  as  they  themfelves  profeffed,  in  order 
to  augment  it.  They  hoped  that  unlverfal  diforder,  would 
prevail  in  every  colony,  and  not  on]j  defeat  the  meafures 
of  the  friends  of  liberty,  but  be  fo  infupportable  to  the 
people  in  general,  as  to  oblige  them  to  return  to  their  fub- 
je6tion,  for  their  own  fakes,  and  to  be  rid  of  a  Hill  greater 
evil.  This  danger  through  the  divine  bleffmg,  we  hap- 
pily and  indeed  entirely  efcaped.  The  governors  by  their 
flight  ripened  every  meafure,  and  liallened  on  the  change, 
by  rendering  it  vifibly  neceffary.  Provincial  conventions 
were  held,  city  and  county  committees,  were  every  where 
chofen,  and  fuch  v/as  the  zeal  for  liberty,  that  the  judg- 
ments of  thefe  committees  was  as  perfectly  fubmitted  to, 
and  their  orders  more  cheerfully,  and  completely  execu- 
ted, than  thofe  of  any  regular  magidrates,  either  under 
the  old  government,  or  fuice  the  change.  At  the  fame 
time,  every  ftate  prepared  and  fettled  their  civil  conftitu- 
tions which  havenowall  taken  place, and  except  in  very  few 
inftances  without  the  leaft  difcord  or  diiTatisfa6lion.  Hap- 
pily for  us  in  this  ftate,  our  conftitution  has  now  fubfift 
ed  near  feven  years,  and  we  have  not  fo  much  as  heard 
the  voice  of  difcontent.  I  fpeak  on  tliis  liead,  of  what  is 
known  to  every  hearer,  and  indeed  to  the  whole  world  ; 
and  yet  I  am  perfuaded  that  to  thofe  who  reflect  upon  it, 


Thanksghlng  Sermon,  463 

it  will  appear  next  to  miraculous.  Although  fo  much 
was  to  be  done,  in  which  every  man  was  interelled,  al- 
though the  colonics  were  fo  various  and  extcnlive,  and 
the  parliament  of  Great  Britain  was  threatening,  and  its 
army  executing  vengeance  againfl  us,  yet  the  whole  was 
completed  in  little  more  than  a  year,  with  as  much  quiet- 
nefs  and  compofure,  as  a  private  perfon  would  move  his 
family  and  furniture  from  one  houfe,  and  fettle  them  in 
another. 

The  jjiir(i, branch  of  my  obfervations  fliall  confill  of  a 
few  inflances,  in  which  the  councils  of  our  enemies  have 
been  confounded,  and  their  mcafurcs  have  been  fuch  as 
to  haflen  on  the  change,  which  they  defired  to  prevent. 
As  to  the  firft  of  thefe,  nothing  can  be  more  remarkable, 
than  the  ignorance  and  error  in  which  they  have  continu- 
ed from  the  firfl  rife  of  the  controverfv,  to  the  prefcnt 
time,  as  to  the  flate  of  things,  and  the  difpolitions  of  men 
in  America.  Even  thofc  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  Great 
Britain,  have  not  only  conlhmtly  given  out,  but  in  my 
opinion,  have  fmcerely  believed,  that  the  great  body  ol" 
the  people  were  upon  their  fide,  and  were  only  mified 
into  rebellion,  by  a  few  faftious  leaders.  At  the  fame 
time,  the  very  fame  perfons,  without  being  fenfible  of  the 
abfurdity,  have  afHrmed,  that  this  country  was  groaning 
under  the  opprefTion  of  its  rulers,  and  loncred  to  be  deliver- 
ed froni  it.  Now  thefe  things  could  not  both  be  true.  If 
the  firfl  had  been  true,  thefe  leaders  mufthave  been  popu- 
lar and  acceptable  in  a  high  degree,  and  have  l^id  the  moft 
extenfive  influence.  If  the  laH  had  been  true,  they  muil 
have  been  inwardly  and  miiverfally  detcfted.  But  how 
many  circumftances  might  have  convinced  tliem  of  tljc 
falfehood  of  both  thefe  aflertions.  The  vaft  extent  of  ihc 
flates,  and  the  concurrence  of  all  ranks  and  clalfes  of  men, 
which  was  fo  early,  fo  uniform  and  fo  notorious,  ])lainly 
prove,  that  no  fuch  thing  could  have  happened,  without 
a  llrong  and  rooted  inclination  in  the  people  thenifdves, 
and  fuch  as  no  addrefs  or  nianagement  of  interelled  per- 
fons could  have  produced.  Befides,  thofe  who  know  Iiovv' 
fluctuating  a  borly  the  Congrefs  is,  and  what  continual 
changes  take  place  in  it,  as  to  men,  mufc  perceive  the  ab- 


'464  Thanksghhig  Sermon. 

furdity  of  their  making  or  fiicceeding  in  any  fuch  attempt. 
The  truth  is,  the  American  Congrefs  owes  its  exiilence 
and  its  influence,  to  the  people  at  large.  I  might  eafily 
lliow,  that  there  has  hardly  any  great  or  important  ftep 
been  ta,ken,  but  the  public  opinion  has  gone  before  the 
refolutions  of  that  body  ;  and  I  wiih  1  coukl  not  fay,  that 
they  have  been  fometimes  very  flow,  in  hearing  and  obey- 
ing it. 

As  to  the  other  alTertion,  it  was  full  more  mani- 
feftly  falfe,  and  they  had  greater  opportunities  of  per- 
ceiving it  to  be  fo.  If  Congrefs,  or  thole  in  public  truft, 
in  any  flate,  had  tyrannized  over  the  people,  or  wantonly 
oppreffed  them,  the  ufurpation  would,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  have  come  to  a  fpeedy  period.  But  wliat  if  I 
lliould  fay,  that  this  pretence  of  our  enemies^  in  an  equi- 
vocal fenfe,  is  indeed  true  ;  and  yet  this  truth,  doth  but 
the  more  clearly  demonftrate  their  error  and  delufion.  It 
is  true,  that  Congrefs  has,  in  m.any  inilances,  been  obliged 
to  have  recourfe  to  meafures,  in  themielves  hard  and  op- 
prcffive,  and  confefTed  to  be  fo ;  v/bich  yet,  have  been 
patiently  fubraitted  to,  becaufe  of  the  important  purpofe 
that  was  to  be  ferved  by  them.  Of  this  kind,  was  the 
emiflion  of  paper  money ;  the  paffing  of  tender  laws  ; 
■compelling  all  into  the  militia ;  draughting  the  militia, 
to  fill  the  regular  army  ;  preffmg  provifions  and  carriages  ; 
and  many  others  of  the  like  nature.  Two  things  are  re- 
markable in  this  Vv^hole  matter :  one,  that  every  imipofi- 
tion,  for  the  public  fervice,  fell  heaviefl  upon  thofe  who 
were  the  friends  of  A.merica  ;  the  lukewarm  or  contrary 
minded,  always  finding  fome  way,  of  fliifting  the  load 
from  their  own  flioulders :  The  other,  that  from  tlje  free- 
dom of  the  prefs  in  this  country,  there  never  were  want- 
ing, the  boldeft  and  mon:  infiammjatory  publications,  both 
againft  men  and  m.eafures.  Yet  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other,  nor  both  united,  had  any  perceptible  influence  in 
weakening  the  attachment  of  the  people.  If  this  account 
is  jull,  and  I  am  confident  it  is  known  to  be  fo,  bv  almoft 
all  who  now  hear  me,  what  lefs  than  judicial  blindnefs, 
could  have  made  our  enemies  fo  obrtinate,*in  the  eontrary 
fentiments  I  Such  however  we  know  Jias  been  the  cafe, 


Tbanksgmng  Sermon.  ^6$ 

and  as  the  whole  of  their  proceedings  have  been  ground- 
ed on  millakes,  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  have  been  both 
injudicious  and  unfuccerslul. 

This  matter  may  be  explained  in  the  following  man- 
ner.    They  fuppofed  that  they  had  only  a  hwr  difcontent- 
ed  particulars  to  apprehend  and  punifli,  and  an  army  to 
conquer  in  no  refpe^ls  comparable  to  their  own ;  but  in 
addition  to  this  they  had  the  loft  afledions  of  a  whole  peo- 
ple to  recover.     The  iirft  which  was  almofl;  of  no  confe- 
quence  at  all,  they  bent  their  whole  force  to  eiTccl  in  coun- 
cil and  in  the  field.     The  other  they  fuppofed  was  alrea- 
dy done,  or  not  worth   the  doing  ;  and  therefore  every 
meafure  they  took  had  a  quite  different  intention,  and  a 
quite   oppofite'  effect.      In    all    this  they   were  fortified 
and    confirmed  by  the   lentiments,  difcourfe   and   con- 
dud  of  the  difaffeded  in  America.     Thefe  unhappy  peo- 
ple, from  the  joint  influence  of  prejudice,  refentment  and 
interell,  were  unwearied  in  their  endeavors  to  miflead  their 
friends.     Their  prejudice  deferves  to  be  mentioned  firll. 
This  was  great  indeed.   They  had  generally  fuch  an  exalted 
idea  of  the  power  ofBritain,  that  they  really  confidered  it  as 
madnefs  to  refill.     I  could  mendon  many  fentiments  ut- 
tered by  them  which  could  hardly  fail  of  making  the  hear- 
ers to  fmile  at  their  grofs  ignorance,  and  more  than  child- 
ilh  timidity.     Refentment  alfo  joined  its  force.     They 
were  fometimes  roughly  handled  by  the  multitude  at  the 
beginning  of  the  controverfy.     This  led  them  to  wifli  for 
revenge,  and  as  they  could  not  intlicl  it  themfelves,  to 
call  for  it  from  their  friends  in  England.      I'o  thele  two 
circumftances  we  may  add  that  the  road  to  favor  was  plain- 
ly that  of  flattery  ;  and  therefore  dieir  opinions  and  intel- 
ligence were  generally  fuch  as  they   fuppofed  would  be 
moil  acceptable  to  thofe  who  had  it  in  their  power  to  pro- 
vide for  them,  or  promote  them.     Such  was  the  effcdl  of 
thefc  circumflances  united,  that  time  v/ill  confl;rain  every 
body  to  confefs,  that  the  partizans  and  friends  of  the  Eng- 
lifli  in  America,  have  done  more  ellential  injury  to  their 
caufe,  than  the  greatefi:  and  boldeft  of  their  enemies. 

The  above  difl:in£tion  between  overcoming  the  armed 
force  of  the  flates,  and  regaining  the  people's  hearts,  is 


466  Tbanksghlng  Sermen. 

the  true  key  to  explain  the  proceedings,  and  account  for 
the  events  of  the  war.  Every  meafure  taken  by  Great- 
Britain,  from  the  beginning,  inllead  of  having  the  leaft 
tendency  to  gain  the  affe£lions  of  the  people  of  this  coun, 
try,  had,  and  one  would  think  muft  have  been  feen  to 
have,  the  mod  powerful  influence  in  producing  the  conr 
trary  eiTeiSl:.  Without  mentioning  every  feparate  parti- 
cular, I  will  only  confider  a  little  the  cruelty  and  feverity 
with  vv'hich  the  war  has  been  carried  on  ;  becaufe  I  am 
firmly  of  opinion,  that  the  fpirit  and  temper  of  our  ene- 
mies in  this  contell,  has  been  the  principal  caufe  of  the 
difappointmcnt  of  their  attempts.  In  this  the  cabinet 
and  counfellors  in  Great-Britain,  and  the  officers  and 
fcldiers  of  their  armies  in  America,  ha.ve  nothing  to  re- 
proach each  other  with.  If  the  barbarity  of  the  army  has 
ever  equalled,  certainly  it  has  never  exceeded  the  cruelty 
of  feveral  of  the  a6ls  of  parliament.  I  will  not  enumerate 
thefe  afts,  which  are  fo  well  known,  and  which  fome 
years  ago  were  fo  often  mentioned  in  every  publication  ; 
but  ihali  only  tell  you  with  what  view  I  dehre  you  to  re- 
collect them.  Every  one  of  thefe  a6ls,  on  their  being 
known  in  America,  ferved  to  increafe  the  union  of  the 
Hates,  to  fill  the  heart  of  the  citizens  with  refentment, 
and  to  add  vigor  to  the  foldier's  arm. 

After  the  example  of  their  employers  at  home,  thecoin- 
manders  of  the  Britifli  armies,  their  officers  and  foldiers, 
and  indeed  all  their  adherents,  faemed  to  have  been  ani- 
mated with  a  fpirit  of  implacable  rancor,  mingled  with 
contempt  tov/aixls  the  Americans.  This  is  to  be  under- 
frood  of  the  general  run  or  greatefl  number  of  every 
clafs,  always  admitting  that  there  Avere  particular  excep- 
tions, whofe  honor  and  principle  controuled  or  overcame 
the  national  prejudice.  Neither  perhaps  is  it  in  any  of 
thsm  to  be  afcribed  fo  much  to  the  national  chara6ler,  as 
to  the  nature  and  fubjedt  of  the  quarrel.  It  has  been  long 
obferved,  that  civil  wars  are  carried  on  with  much  greater 
fury,  and  attended  with  afts  of  greater  barbarity,  than 
wars  between  independent  nations.  The  faft,  however, 
of  their  barbarity  is  certain  ;  and  no  lefs  fo.is  the  powerful 


Thanksghhig  Sermon.  467 

influence  which  this  condu6t  has  had  in  defeating  their  ex- 
pectations cither  of  reconciliation  or  fubmiflion. 

Tlie  barbarous  treatment  of  the  American  prifoners 
through  the  whole  war,  but  efpecially  at  the  beginning, 
when  their  enemies  were  confident  of  fuccefs,  is  a  me- 
lancholy fubjeft  indeed,  and  will  be  a  ilain  upon  tlie  Bri- 
tifli  name  to  future  ages.  No  part  of  America  can  be  ig- 
norant of  this,  having  witnefles  in  every  frate,  in  the  {q.\v 
that  returned  alive  out  of  their  hands.  But  we  in  this 
ftate,  through  which  they  pafied  to  their  homes,  can  never 
forget  the  appearance  of  the  emaciated  fpeftres  v.'bo  efca- 
ped  or  were  exchanged  from  Britifli  dungeons  or  prifon- 
fliips.  Neither  was  it  poflTible  for  the  people  in  general 
not  to  be  llruck  with  the  contrail  when  excliangcs  took 
place,  and  they  faw  companies  ofBrltiili  prifoneis  going 
home  hale  and  hearty,  bearing  every  mark  of  their  ha\ing 
been  fupplied  widi  comfortable  provifions,  and  treated 
with  humanity  in  every  other  refpedl.  I  am  not  to  en- 
large upon  thefc  known  and  fertile  fubje(?LS.  The  only 
reafon  of  their  being  introduced  is  to  fliew  the  cfrect  whicii 
fpcclaclcs  of  this  kind  mufl  have  had  upon  the  public 
mind,  and  their  influence  in  rendering  tlie  return  of  the 
people  of  this  country  to  fubmiffion  to  the  parent  it3.te 
altogether  impofTible. 

The  inhuman  treatment  of  the  American  prifoners  by 
the  the  Britifli,  was  not  more  remarkable  than  their  info- 
ience  and  rapacity  towards  tlie  j^eople  of  the  country 
wherever  their  power  extended.  The  abufe  and  contempt 
poured  upon  the  inhabitants  in  difcourfe,  and  the  indifcri- 
minate  plunder  of  their  property,  could  not  but  in  the  mofl 
powerful  manner  alienate  their  afiedlions.  Many  who 
hear  me  at  prefent,  have  had  fo  full  conviftion  of  this 
truth  in  their  own  experience,  that  it  is  unnecefTary  to 
ofler  any  proof  of  it.  It  is  of  importance  however  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  this  impolitic  opprelhon  was  the  true  and  pro- 
per caufe  of  the  general  concourfe  of  the  injiabltants  of 
this  ftate  to  the  American  fiandard,  in  the  begirning  of 
the  year  1777,  and  their  vigorous  exertions  ever  fmce 
againd  the  incurfions  of  the  enemy  from  New- York.  I 
©onfcfs  1  was  not  fo  mucli  furprifed  at  fuch  conduct  when 


468  Thaiiksgh'mg  Sermon. 

they  pofleffed  this  part  of  the  country  ;  becaufe  they  were 
then  flullied  with  vidlory,  and  had  fcarcely  an  idea  that 
they  would  fail  of  final  faccefs.  But  when  we  confider 
that  their  conduft  has  been  the  fame,  or  even  worfe,  in 
the  fouthern  ftates,  we  can  hardly  help  wondering  at  their 
infatuation.  Surely  there  was  time  enough  before  the 
year  1780,  to  have  convinced  them  that  infolence  and 
cruelty  were  not  the  means  of  bringing  back  a  revolted 
people ;  and  yet  by  all  accounts  their  treatment  of  the 
inhabitants  in  Georgia,  South  and  North-Carolina,  in  that 
year,  was  even  more  barbarous  than  had  been  experienced 
by  the  people  here  three  years  before. 

I  fnall  only  further  mention,  that  it  feems  plainly  to  have 
been  not  by  accident,  but  in  confequence  of  general  orders 
or  a  prevailing  difpofition,  that  they  treated  wherever 
they  went,  places  of  public  worfhip  (except  thofe  of  the 
epifcopal  denomination,)  with  all  poflible  contempt  and 
infult.  They  v/ere  in  general  ufed  not  only  for  hofpitals, 
but  ftorehoufes,  barracks,  riding  fchoois  and  prifons,  and  in 
many  places  they  were  torn  to  pieces  wantonly  and  with- 
out any  purpofc,  to  be  ferved  by  it,  but  wreaking  their 
vengeance  on  the  former  poffeffors.  What  influence 
muft  this  have  had  upon  the  minds  of  the  people  ?  What 
impreffion  mud  have  been  made  upon  the  few  who  re- 
mained, and  were  witnelles  to  thefe  acts  of  profanation, 
when  in  thofe  places  v/here  they  had  been  accullomed  to 
hear  nothing  but  the  word  and  the  worfliip  of  God,  their 
ears  were  ftunned  v^'ith  the  horrid  found  of  curfmg  and 
blafphemy.  This  was  done  very  early  in  Boflon,  and 
repeated  in  every  part  of  the  continent  with  increafmg 
rage. 

I  have  chofen  on  this  part  of  the  fubjeft  to  infill;  only 
on  what  was  general,  and  therefore  muil  be  fuppofed  to 
have  had  an  extenfive  influence.  It  would  have  been  ea- 
{y  to  have  colleiSled  many  particular  a£ls  of  barbarity, 
but  as  thefe  might  be  accounted  for  from  the  degeneracy 
and  fa\'age  difpofition  of  the  perfons  who  were  feverally 
guilty  of  them,  they  would  not  have  been  fo  conclufive  for 
the  purpofe  for  which  they  were  adduced.  -  I  fliall  there- 
fore omit  every  thing  of  tins  kind,  except  one  of  the  earli- 


Tbanksgivhtg  ScrmoH.  46^ 

t'fl:  inftances  of  their  barbarity,  becaufe  it  happened  \x\  one 
of  the  ilrcets  of  this  place,  viz.  maflacrcing  in  cold  blood, 
a  miniller  of  the  gofpel,  who  was  not,  nor  ever  had  been 
in  arms,  and  received  his  death  wound,  wliile  on  his 
knees  begging  mercy. 

Upon  the  whole  nothing  appears  to  me  more  manifefl 
than  that  the  feparation  of  thia  country  from  Britain,  has 
been  of  God  ;  for  every  ftep  the  Britilh  took  to  prevent,' 
ferved  to  accelerate  it,  which  has  generally  been  the  cafe 
when  men  have  undertaken  to  go  in  oppofition  to  the 
courfe  of  providence,  and  to  make  war  with  the  nature  of 
things. 

I  proceed  to  make  romej3ra^lkd.^improj/cjneilt  of.  the 
fubject^. for  your  inftrudlion  and  diret^Uou.     And, 

In  the  firil  place,  it  is  our  duty  to  give  praifc  to  God 
for  the  prefent  happy  and  promihng  ilate  of  public  aflalrs. 
This  is  v/hat  we  are  called  to,  and  making  prcrelilon  of,  by 
our  meeting  together  at  the  prefent  time.  Let  it  then  be 
more  than  a  form.  Let  the  difpolition  of  your  hearts  be 
correfpondcnt  to  the  expreffions  of  your  lips.  While  wc, 
who  are  here  alive  before  God  this  day,  recolleft  v/ith  tcn- 
dernefs  and  fympathy,  v»'ith  furviving  relations  die  many 
valuable  lives  that  have  been  loft  in  the  courfe  of  the  v/ar, 
let  us  give  thanks  to  God  who  hath  Ipared  us  as  monu- 
ments of  his  mercy,  who  hath  given  us  the  fatisfaclion  of 
feeing  our  complete  deliverance  approaching,  and  thofo 
liberties  civil  and  religious  for  v/hich  we  have  been  con- 
tending eftabliflied  upon  a  lafling  Inundation.  It  will  be 
remembered  by  many,  that  I  have  early  and  conllantly 
exprelTed  my  dlfapprobaticn  of  fclf  confidence,  and  vain- 
glorious boaiting.  To  many  American  foldicrs  I  have 
faid,  feldom  boail  of  what  you  have  done,  but  never  of  what 
you  only  mean  to  do.  This  was  not  occafioned  by  any 
doubt  or  hefitation  I  ever  had  as  to  the  probable  iflue  of  the 
war,  from  the  apparent  Hate  of  things,  and  the  ccurle  of 
human  events,  but  by  a  deep  conviction  of  the  finfulnefs 
of  this  pradice,  either  hi  a  nation  or  perfon.  Now  there^ 
fore  diat  we  have  come  fo  far  in  oppofition  to  a  formida* 
ble  enemy,  it  is  certainly  our  duty  to  fay  that   "  falvati* 

Vol.  II.  a  N 


4;o  Tbanksghing  Sermon, 

"  on  belongeth  unto  the  Lord."  This  indeed  is  not  only 
the  duty  of  every  perlbn  with  refpedl  to  what  is  paft,  but 
is  the  way  to  fiipport  and  animate  us  in  what  remains  of 
the  warfare,  and  difpofe  us  to  make  a  fuitable  improve- 
ment of  the  fettlemsnt  which  we  hope  is  not  very  diftant. 

2.  We  ought  to  tellify  our  gratitude  to  God  for  the  ma- 
ny fignal  interpofitions  of  his  providence  on  our  behalf,  by 
living  in  his  fear  and  by  a  converfation  fuch  as  becoraeth 
the  gofpel.  This  is  not  only  a  tribute  we  owe  to  him  for 
every  mercy,  and  therefore  forthofe  of  a  public  naturg^ 
but  it  is  the  only  way  by  which  public  profperity  can  be- 
come a  real  mercy  to  us,  eternity  is  of  yet  greater  mo- 
ment than  any  earthly  bleffing.  Their  ftate  is  little  to  be 
envied  who  are  free  as  citizens,  but  Haves  as  fmnerS.  All 
temporal  comforts  derive  their  value  from  their  being  the 
fruits  of  divine  goodnefs,  the  evidence  of  covenant  love  and 
the  earned  of  everlalling  mercy.  It  is  therefore  our  in- 
difpenfible  duty  to  endeavor  to  obtain  the  fandlified  im- 
provement of  every  bleffing,  v»'hether  public  or  perfonal. 
There  is  the  greater  necefiity  of  infilling  on  this  at  prefent, 
that  though  a  time  of  national  fulTering  or  jeopardy  has 
fome  advantages  for  alarming  the  confciences  of  the  fe- 
cure,  it  hath  alfo  fomedlfadvantages,  and  frequently  occa- 
fions  fuch  dillraclion  of  mind  as  is  little  favourable  to  the 
practice  of  piety.  We  know  by  fad  experience  that  the 
regular  adminiilration  of  divine  ordinances,  the  oblerva- 
tion  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  good  order  of  the  country  in 
general  have  been  much  dilturbed  by  the  war.  The  pub- 
lic fervlce  feemed  many  times  to  juilify  v/hat  vv^oukl  other- 
wife  have  been  highly  improper.  This  contributed  to 
introduce  a  licentioufnefs  of  practice,  and  to  prote61:  thofe 
from  refcraint  or  reproof,  v/ho  I  am  airaid  in  many  cafes, 
rather  yielded  to  inclination  than  fubmilted  to  neceffity. 
Now  therefore,  w"henby  the  bleffing  of  God  our  diilrelles 
are  removed,  vv^e  ought  to  return  to  punctuality  as  to  pub- 
lic order,  as  well  as  confcientious  llri^lnefs  in  every  part 
of  our  practice. 

3.  In  the  third  place  it  is  our  duty,  to  tellify  our  gra- 
titude to  God,  by  ufefulnefs  in  our  feveral  flations,  or 
in  other  v/ords  by  a  concern  for  tl:e  glory  of  God,  the 


Thanksgh'n{^  Senvioti.  4yi 

public  Intcrefl:  of  religion,  and  the  good  of  others.  This 
is  the  duty  of  every  perfon,  even  of  the  loweft  Irarion,  zX. 
all  times.  Even  the  meaneH:  and  niofl  unconncclcd  hath 
ftill  fome  fmall  bounds,  within  which  his  infiiicnce  and 
example  rnay  be  ufeful.  But  It  is  efpecially  the  (h:ty  cf 
tliofc  who  are  diUinguiflied  from  others  by  their  talents, 
by  their  llation,  or  by  office  and  authority.  I  Ihall  at 
prefent  confiJer  it  chiefly  as  the  duty  of  ,two  forts  cf 
perfons,  minillers  and  magi  R rates,  thofc  who  have  tlie 
diredlion  of  religious  focieties,  and  thofe  who  are  veil- 
ed with  civil  authority.  As  to  the  Jirll  of  thefe,  they 
are  under  the  ftrongell  obligations  to  liolinefs  and  ufe- 
fulnefs  in  their  own  lives,  and  diligence  in  doing  good 
to  otliers.  The  world  expefts  it  from  them,  and  de- 
mands it  of  them.  Many  of  this  clafs  of  men,  have  been 
peculiarly  the  objedls  of  the  hatred  and  deteilation  of  the 
enemy,  in  the  courfe  of  this  vvar.  Such  therefore  as 
have  been  fpared  to  fee  the  return  of  peace  and  fecurity, 
are  bound  by  the  ftrongell  ties,  to  improve  their  time  and 
talents,  in  their  mafter's  fervice.  But  what  I  have  pe- 
culiarly in  view,  is  ftricknefs  in  religious  difcipline,  or 
the  infpedlion  of  the  morals  of  their  feveral  focieties. 
By  our  excellent  conflitution,  they  are  well  fecured  in 
their  religious  liberty.  The  return  which  is  expected 
from  them  to  the  community,  is  that  by  the  influence  of 
their  religious  government,  their  people  may  be  tlie  n~tore 
regular  citizens,  and  the  more  ufeful  members  of  focitty, 
I  hope  none  here  will  deny  that  the  manners  of  the 
people  in  general,  are  of  the  utmoft  moment  to  the  lia- 
bility of  any  civil  fociety.  When  the  body  of  a  peoj-'le, 
are  altogether  corrupt  in  their  manners,  the  government 
is  ripe  for  dilTolution.  Good  laws  may  hold  the  rotten 
bark  fome  lontrcr  to'rethcr,  but  in  a  little  time  all  lavvS 
muft'give  way  to  the  tide  of  popular  opinion,  and  be  laid 
proilate  under  univerfal  pra6lice.  Hence  it  cleat ly  fol- 
lows, that  the  teachers  and  rulers  of  every  religious  de- 
nomination, are  bound  mutually  to  each  other,  and  to 
the  whole  fociety,  to  watch  over  the  manners  of  their  fe- 
veral members. 


47^  Thanhghlng  Sermon. 

(2)  Thofe  who  rj'e  vefied  v/lth  civil  authority,  ought 
alfo^with  much  cere,  to  promote  religion  and  good  morals 
among  all  under  their  government.  If  wq  give  credit  to 
the  holy  fcriptures,  he  tiiat  ruleth  muft  be  juft,  ruling  in 
the  fear  of  God.  It  is  a  truth  of  no  little  importance  to 
us  in  our  prefent  fituation,  not  only  that  the  n^.anners  of 
fi  people  arc;  of  confequence  to  the  jlabillty  of  every  civil 
fociety ;  but  tl^at  they  are  of  much  more  confequence  to 
free  Hates,  than  to  tliofe  of  a  difierent  kind.  In  m.any 
of  thefe  lafr,  a  principle  of  honor  and  the  fubordination 
of  ranks,  widi  the  vigor  of  defpotic  authorit}-,  fupply  the 
place  of  virtue,  by  retraining  irregularities  and  produ- 
cing public  order,  Eut  in  free  r:ates,  v;here  the  body  of 
the  people  have  the  fupreme  power,  properly  in  their 
ovvn  hands,  and  mufi:  be  uUimately  reforted  to  on  all 
great  matters,  if  there  be  a  general  corruption  of  man- 
ners, there  can  be  nothing  but  confuHon.  So  true  is  this, 
that  civil  liberty  cannot  be  long  preferved  without  virtue. 
A  monnrchy  may  fubu!]:  for  ages,  and  be  better  or  Vv-orfe 
under  a  good  or  bad  prince  ;  but  a  republic  once  equally 
poifed,  muft  either  preferve  its  virtue  or  lofe  its  liberty, 
and  by  fome  tuniultuous  revolution,  cither  return  to  its 
firll  principles,  or  alTume  a  more  unhappy  form. 

From  this  refults  a  double  dut)?-,  that  of  the  people 
themfelves,  wlio  have  the  appointmen.t  of  rulers,  and  that 
of  their  reprefentatlves,  who  are  intrulled  with  the  ex- 
ercife  of  this  delegated  authority.  Thofe  who  wifli  ^^'ell 
to  the  ftate  ought  to  chufe  to  places  of  trufi,  men  of  in- 
ward principle,  jufiined  by  exemplary  converfation.  Is 
it  reafonable  to  expech  wifdcm  Irom  the  ignorant,  f  delity 
from  the  profligate,  affiduity  and  application  to  public 
buhnefs  from  men  of  a  diiFipated  life  ?  Is  it  reafonable  to 
commit  the  management  of  public  revenue,  to  one  v.-ho 
hath  wafre.l  his  ov/n  patrimony  ?  Thofe  tliCrcfore  v\ho 
pay  no  regard  to  relii?;icn  and  fobriety,  in  tJie  perfons 
whom  they  fend  to  the  legiflature  of  any  Hate,  are  guil-: 
tv  of  the  greateil  abfurdity,  and  will  foon  pay  dear  fcr 
their  folly.  Let  a  man's  zeal,  prcfefTion,  or  even  prin- 
ciples as  to  political  meafures  be  v/hat  they  will,  if  he 
33  withoat   perfonal  integrity  and  private   virtue,    as   a 


Tbanksgh'ing  Sermon.  473 

man  he  is  not  to  be  trufted.  I  think  we  have  had  feme 
inftances  of  men  who  have  roared  for  liberty  in  taverns, 
and  were  mofl:  noify  in  public  meetings,  who  yet  have 
turned  traitors  in  a  little  time.  Suffer  me  on  this  fubjedl 
to  make  another  remark.  I  have  not  yet  heard  of  any 
Chrillian  ftate  in  which  there  were  not  laws  againll  im- 
morality. But  with  what  judgment  will  they  be  made, 
or  with  what  vigor  will  they  be  executed,  by  thofe  who 
are  profane  and  immoral  in  their  own  praftice  ?  Let  me 
fuppofe  a  magiflrate  on  the  bench  of  juflice,  adminiltring 
an  oath  to  a  witnefs,  or  pafPing  fentence  of  death  on  a 
criminal,  and  putting  him  in  mind  of  a  judgment  to 
come.  With  what  propriety,  dignity,  or  force  can  any  of 
thefe  be  done  by  one  wlio  is  known  to  be  a  blafphemer 
or  an  infidel,  by  whom  in  his  convivial  hours  every  thing 
that  is  fcrious  and  facred  is  treated  with  Icorn  ? 

But  if  the  people  in  general  ouglit  to  have  regard  to 
the  moral  charafter  of  thofe  whom  they  inveft  with  au- 
thority, either  in  the  legiflatirc,  executive  or  judicial 
branches,  fuch  as  are  fo  promoted  may  perceive  what  is 
and  will  be  expected  from  them.  They  are  under  the 
flrongell  obligations  to  do  their  utmoft  to  promote  religion, 
fobriety,  indultry,  and  every  focial  virtue,  among  thofe 
who  are  committed  to  their  care.  If  you  afk  me  what 
are  the  means  which  civil  rulers  are  bound  to  ufe  for  at- 
taining thefe  ends,  furtlier  than  the  impartial  fupport  and 
faithful  guardianfliip  of  the  rights  of  confcience  ;  I  anfwer 
that  example  itfelf  is  none  of  tlie  leaft.  "^Fhofe  who  are  in 
high  flation  and  authority,  are  expofed  to  continual  obfer- 
vation ;  and  therefore  their  example  is  both  better  fcen 
and  hath  greater  influence  than  that  of  perlbns  of  inferior 
rank.  I  hope  it  will  be  no  offence  in  fpeaking  to  a  Chrif- 
tian  afiembly,  if  I  fay  that  reverence  for  the  name  of  God, 
a  pundlual  attendance  on  the  public  and  private  duties  of 
religion,"  as  well  as  fobriety  and  purity  of  converfation, 
are  efpccially  incumbent  on  thofe  who  are  honored  with 
places  of  power  and  trufl. 

But  I  cannot  content  myfclf  with  this.  It  is  certainly 
the  official  duty  of  magifirates  to  be  "  a  terror  to  evil  doers, 
"  and  a  praife  to  tliem  tliat  do  well."     That  fociety  will 


474  Thanksgmng  Sermon. 

fufFer  greatly,  in  which  there  is  no  care  taken  to  reflrair^ 
open  vice  by  exemplary  punifhment.  It  is  often  to  be 
remarked,  in  fome  of  the  corrupt  governments  of  Europe, 
tliat  whatever  llrictnefs  maybe  ufed,  or  even  impartiality 
in  rendering  juftice  between  man  and  man,  yet  there  is 
a  total  and  abfolute  relaxation  as  to  what  is  chiefly  and 
immediately  a  contempt  of  God.  Perhaps  a  fmall  tref- 
pafs  of  a  poor  man  on  property,  fhall  be  purfued  by  a  vin- 
difl'ive  party,  or  puniflied  by  a  tyrannical  judge  with  the 
utmofl  feverity ;  when  all  the  laws  againfl  fwearing,  fab- 
bath-breaking,  lewdnefs,  drunkennefs  and  riot,  fliall  be  a 
dead  letter,  and  more  trampled  upon  by  the  judges  them- 
felves,  than  by  the  people  who  are  to  be  judged.  Thole 
magiHrates  who  V\?ould  have  their  authority  both  refpe6led 
and  ufeful,  fnould  begin  at  the  fource,  and  reform  or  re- 
train that  impiety  towards  God,  which  is  the  true  and 
proper  caufe  of  every  diforder  among  men.  O  the  fnort- 
iightednefs  of  human  wifdom,  to  hope  to  prevent  the  ef-. 
feci,  and  yet  nourilli  the  caufe  !  Whence  come  diflio- 
nefty  and  petty  thefts  ?  I  fay,  from  idlenefs,  fabbath- 
breaking,  and  uninllrufted'  families.  Whence  comiC  de- 
ceits  of  gi-eater  magnitude,  and  debts  unpaid  ?  From 
floth,  luxury,  and  extravagance.  Whence  come  vio- 
lence, hatred,  and  ftrife  ?  From  drunkennefs,  noting, 
lewdnefs,  and  blafphemy.  It  is  common  to  fay  of  a  diflb- 
lute  liver,  that  he  does  harm  to  none  but  himfelf ;  than 
which  ,1  think  there  is  not  a  greater  falfliood  that  ever  ob- 
tained credit  in  a  deceived  world.  Drunkards,  fwearers, 
profane  and  lafcivious  jefters,  and  the  whole  tribe  of  thofe 
who  do  harm  to  none  but  themfelves,  are  the  pells  of  fo- 
ciety,  the  corruptors  of  the  youth,  and  in  my  opinion,  for 
the  ri&  of  infeftion,  thieves  and  robbers  are  lefs  dangerous 
companions. 

Upon  the  whole,  my  brethren,  after  we  have  contend- 
ed in  arms  for  liberty  from  foreign  domination,  let  us 
guard  againft  ufing  our  liberty  as  a  cloak  for  licentiouf- 
nefs  ;  and  thus  poifoning  tlie  bleffing  after  we  have  at- 
tained it.  Let  us  endeavor  to  bring  into,  and  keep  in 
credit  and  reputation,  every  thing  that  miiy  ferve  to  give 
vigor  to  an  equal  republican  conftitution.     Let  us  chcrifh 


Tharikss^mno:  Scnuon,  4^75 


"O""   '  d 


a  love  of  piety,  order,  induflry,  frugality.  Let  us  check  cvciy 
difpofitioii  to  luxury, elteminacy,  and  the  plcafurcsof  adifli- 
pated  life.  Let  us  in  public  meafures  put  honor  upon  mo- 
defly,  and  felf  denial,  which  is  the  index  of  real  merit.  And 
in  our  families  let  us  do  the  beit  by  religious  inflru6lion,  to 
low  the  feeds  whic'-  may  bear  fruit  in  the  next  genera- 
tion. We  are  one  of  the  body  of  confederated  flatcs.  For 
many  reafons,  I  fhall  avoid  making  any  comparifons  at 
prefent,  but  may  venture  to  predial,  that  whatfoevtr 
Itatc  among  us  fhall  continue  to  make  piety  and  virtue 
the  ftandard  of  public  honor,  will  enjoy  the  greateft  in- 
ward peace,  the  greateft  national  happinefs,  and  in  every 
outward  conflid  will  difcover  the  greateft  conllitutional 


ftrcngth. 


Reasonable  advice  to  young  persons. 


S  E  R  M  O  N 

ON 

Psalm  i.  i. 

Preached  at  the  Laigh  Church  of  Paisley,  on  Sabbath, 
Februaiy  21ft,  1762. 

TO    WHICH    13    PREFIXED, 


An  Authentic  Narrative^  of  the  disorderly  and  riotous 
pieeting,  on  the  Night  before  the  Celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  in  that  place,  which  gave  occasion  fd 
the  Discourse. 


Vol.  II.  3  0 


T  O 

RofiERT  Fulton,  Efq.  ^ 
Charles  Maxwell,      >  Bailies. 
William  Orr,  J 

Andrew  Smith,  Treafurer. 
And  the  remanent  members  of  the  Town-Council 
of  Paisley, 

The  following  Sermon  is  humbly  infcribed,  by  their 

Most  Obedient^ 

Humble  Servant^ 

John  Witherspoon. 


C    479     ] 


TO     T  H  £ 


PUBLIC. 


THE  publication  of  the  following  fermon,  is  not 
owing  to  choice,  but  neceflity.  A  procefs  of  fcandal 
was  carried  on  againft  the  perfons  who  gave  occafion  to 
its  being  preached  ;  and  they,  inftead  of  any  fubmiflion 
or  penitence,  thought  proper  to  make  heavy  complaints 
againft  the  author  of  the  fermon  ;  and  to  give  an  account 
of  what  was  faid  in  it,  very  imperfedl  and  unjuft,  as  may 
well  be  fuppofed.  In  anfwer  to  this,  he  found  it  necelTary 
to  declare  his  willingnefs  and  refolution  to  publifli  the  fer- 
mon, and  to  prefix  a  diftinft  narration  of  the  proceedings, 
fo  far  as  they  had  come  to  light,  of  that  impious  aflembly, 
held  within  the  bounds  of  his  charge,  that  die  public  might 
judge  whether  there  was  not  more  than  fufficient  caufe 
given  for  what  was  then  faid.  By  the  following  narra- 
tive and  fermon  he  now  propofes  to  acquit  himfelf  of  both 
parts  of  this  promife. 

On  Saturday  the  6th  of  February,  1762,  being  the  day 
before  the  celebration  of  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  flip- 
per in  Paifley,  fome  young  men,  who  it  is  generally  be- 
lieved had  all  been  at  church,  dined  immediately  after 
fermon  in  James  Chambers's  room.  After  dinner,  Ro- 
bert Hunter,  who  never  was  a  communicant,  produced 
one  of  the  church  tokens,  well  knowing  what  ufe  it  was 
intended  to  ferve.  Being  afl-ied  where  he  got  it,  faid  he 
got  it  from  Judas  Ifcariot  ;  and,  as  one  of  the  company 
declares,  offered  to  play  odds  or  evens  with  him  '.hich  of 
them  fhouldufe  it.  They  were  then  invited  all  to  a  glafs 
in  William  Wilfon's  room,  which  he  chofe  that  night  to 
take  poflelTion  of;  and  indeed  to  give  it  n  very  dreadful 


4So  To  the  Public. 

confecration.  In  the  interval  of  their  meeting,  Robert- 
Hunter  fent  the  token  to  a  young  woman  in  the  place,  in- 
clofed  in  a  letter.  What  v/ere  the  contents  of  the  letter 
cannot  be  known.  Gomrnpn  fame  faicl  it  v/as  inviting  her 
to  their  facrament :  he  himfelf  pretended  it  was  very  inno- 
cent, but  took  care,  as  foon  as  the  rumour  broke  up,  ta. 
get  the  letter  and  burn  it.  The  reader  will  immediately 
reflect  what  could  be  the  Intention,  and  what  might  have 
been  the  effefts  of  this  conduct :  it  was  eafy  in  this  v'ay, 
to  fend  the  moll  notorious  profligate  to  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  unfpeakable  fcandal  of  the  congregation,  as 
well  as  mifchief  to  his  own  foul. 

About  fix  of  the  clock  the  fame  evening,  or  foon  after, 
they  met  according  to  appointment  in  William  Wilibn's 
room,  the  faid  Robert  Hunter,  and  William  Wilfon,  ma- 
nufadurers  in  Paifley,  John  Snodgrafs,  writer  there, 
William  M'Crotchet,  enfign  or  ferjeant  in  the  army,  James 
and  David  Chalmers,  and  Robert  Crofs  junior,  merchants 
ill  Paifley,  By  their  own  confeffion,  and  the  depofiLion  of 
leveral  witneffes,  they  employed  a  good  part  of  the  time  in 
mock-preaching,  and  that  not  merely  imitating  the  tones 
or  geilures  of  minillers  in  indifferent  words,  but  the  only 
expreiFions  that  were  diftinguiflied  by  the  witneffes  who 
heard  them  on  the  llreet,  were  the  words  of  fcripture. 
Two  witnelTes  depone,  that  to  the  befi:  of  their  judgment, 
they  heard  them  praying  in  mockery  ;  and  when  alked  if 
they  were  lure  it  was  praying  and  not  preaching,  perfifted 
in  affirming  it  was  praj^ing.  The  only  uncertainty  this 
evidence  labors  under,  is,  that  not  hearing  the  particular 
'vvords  ufed,  the  only  v/ay  by  v/hich  they  diffinguifhed  it, 
was  by  the  found  ;  but  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  both  v/it- 
Jieifes  v/ere  pofitive ;  that  they  agreed  together  as  to  the 
time  when  this  happened,  and  that  it  v/as  not  the  iame 
time  that  the  otlier  witnelTes  depone  they  were  preacliing, 
but  at  a  very  confiderable  diliance  ;  fo  th.at  there  is  little 
probability  of  the  one  being  millaken  for  the  other.  By 
their  o<\*n  confcMions,  and  the  depolitions  of  witneffes,  tliey 
were  guilty  of  profane  fweari:ig.  Tiie  noife  of  their  mce:- 
ipg  was  fuch,  as  alarmed  the  wliole  nei^hljorhocd  ;  but 
v.'hat   is  moll  tremendous  of  ail,  by  the  declaration  oi' 


To  the  Public.  481 

Robert  Hunter,  one  of  themfelves,  William  M'Crotchet, 
ufed  fome  of  the  words  of  the  inftitution.  The  fame 
thing  is  declared  by  William  Wilfon,  of  John  Snodgrals  ; 
and  upon  the  ftriclefl:  re-examination  he  perfilled  in  de- 
claring that  he  was  certain  it  was  done  in  the  company, 
and  he  thought  it  was  by  that  perfon. 

When  thefe  fails  are  laid  together,  and  all  the  circum- 
ftances  of  the  tranfacflion  are  weighed,  is  it  pofTible  in 
words  to  paint  the  atrocioufnefs  of  their  crime  ?  Is  there 
any  ground  to  wonder  at  the  greatnefs  of  the  fcandal  ?  Is 
there  reafon  to  complain,  that  the  minifier  in  whole 
bounds  the  offence  was  committed,  and  under  whofe 
charge  almofl:  all  the  oflcnders  live,  fliould  think  of  preacli- 
ing  on  fuch  a  fubjedl  as  it  appears  he  did  ;  and  now 
with  concern  finds  himfelf  obliged  to  publifii  ?  The  very- 
choice  of  Ibch  a  night  for  fuch  a  merry  meeting,  and  the 
dillurbance  given  to  the  place  almofl;  to  the  hour  ot  mid- 
night, though  there  had  been  no  more  in  it,  were  lurely 
highly  indecent.  But  when  we  add  to  this  the  loud  pro- 
fanation of  the  Almighty's  name,  and  ipending  the  nioll 
part,  if  not  the  whole  of  the  time,  in  mocking  the  exer- 
cifes  of  piety,  how  deep  and  aggravated  is  thiC  guiit !  Above 
all,  Vv'hen  it  is  confidered  that  this  feems  to  have  been 
without  bounds,  not  fparing  eveii  the  mod  folemn  and 
facred  rite  of  our  holy  religon  !  It  is  true,  fome  of  them 
obftinately  deny  this  lall,  and  heaviefi;  part  of  the  charge. 
It  doth  not  indeed  appear,  and  we  hope  it  is  not  true,  that 
there  was  a  formal  celebration,  and  general  or  common 
participation  in  mockery,  of  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's 
fupper  ;  but  if  there  had  been  no  profane  allufion  to  it  in 
the  performances  of  the  acting  mimies,  it  is  not  to  be 
fuppofed  or  imagined,  that  it  would  have  been  coniefled 
by  two  of  the  perlbns'prefcnt.  Though  this  fliould  not 
militate  againfl:  the  rell:,  it  certainly  mull  niilitatc  r.gainit 
themfelves.  The  time  of  the  meeting;  the  token  pro- 
duced before  it ;  the  letter  with  the  token  lent,*  the  other 
things  which  they  certainly  did  ;  and  the  unilifpeded  de- 
claration of  two  o:  the  guilty  ;  who  fcemcd  at  firit  peni- 
tent, though  afterwards  they  altered  their  conduct,  and 
joined  v/ith  the  reft  in  a  common  defenc.; ;  arc  To  Ilrong, 


48  a  To  the  Public* 

that  it  is  impoffible  to  deftroy  the  belief  of  it  in  an  impar^ 
tial  mind  ;  the  rather  when  we  add,  that  afterwards  David 
Chalmers  confeffed  it  ftill  more  fully  than  any  of  the  other 
two.  This,  though  it  was  too  late  to  be  in  the  procefs,  or 
rather  by  great  art  and  influence  kept' out  of  it,  may  be 
fafely  affirmed,  becaufe  it  was  in  the  prefence  of  three  per- 
fons.  But  to  cut  the  matter  fhort,  the  ufe  of  fome  of  the 
words  of  the  inftitution  with  a  folemn  air  as  of  a  minifter, 
and  alfo  fome  of  the  other  words  of  fcripture,  is  affirmed, 
by  William  Wilfon,  of  John  Snodgrafs,  in  a  voluntary  de- 
claration, when  he  was  not  adduced  as  an  evidence.  Let 
John  Sondgrafs  therefore,  who  confiders  this  as  fo  injuri- 
ous to  him,  profecute  William  Wilfon  for  flander,  and 
get  him  punifhed  in  the  manner  he  juftly  deferves,  if  it  be 
falfe  ;  and  if  this  is  not  done,  he  muil  forgive  many,  and 
particularly  the  author  of  the  following  fermon,  for  believ- 
ing it  to  be  true. 


[     483     ] 


IMMOOM«tM  MM  9000  «M*  tOM  MM  tOCO  dOVO  rOM  CCOO  COM  906*  tOO*  •»£»  »Ua  OM*  M6*  ««r»  «»M  MM  0M»  O^O* 
)  0060  COM  K*?  Mae  C»»3  MOO  MM  0930  MM  fOOC  CT  M  MOO  MM  MM  MM  MOO  0000  COM  OOOO  0*00  000«  0«00  COO*  OCO» 


SEASONABLE  ADVICE  to  YOUNG  PERSONS. 


SERMON. 


Psalm  i.  i. 


Blessed  is  the  man  that  ivalketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  tht 
ungodly,  nor  statideth  in  the  nuay  of  sinners^  nor  sittctb 
in  the  seat  of  the  scornful, 

THERE  is  an  old  and  beaten  obfervation,  that  human 
nature,  in  all  ages,  is  the  fame.  To  this  I  add,  or 
rather  offer,  by  way  of  illuflration  of  it,  that  fm,  which 
bears  fo  much  fway  in  human  characters  and  adlions,  lias 
been  the  fame,  in  its  operation  and  influence,  in  all  ages, 
■fmce  the  fall  of  Adam.  For  this  reafon  the  charaQers 
drawn  in  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  particularly  the  obfer- 
vations  on  human  life,  contained  in  the  PRilms  of  David, 
the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  and  book  of  Ecclefiaftes,  are  as 
perfectly  adapted  to  the  prefent  age,  as  if  they  were  but 
of  yeflerday's  date. 

As  the  ten  commandments,  which  are  the  fum  of  the 
moral  law,  confift  moftly  of  prohibitions,  the  Pfal mill,  in 
this  paffage,  draws  the  chara(!rter  of  the  good  man  in  a  ne- 
gative form,  by  its  oppofition  to  the  bad.  At  the  fame 
time,  the  danger  to  which  the  unwary  are  expofcd,  die  en- 
ticing and  deceitful  nature  of  fm,  and  its  monflrous  enor- 
mity, when  arrived  at  its  full  height,  are  couclied  in  the 


4S4  SeasonaMe  Ad'olce 

moft  admirable  manner:  "  Blefled  is  the  man  that  walk- 
*•  etii  not  in  the  counfel  of  the  ungodly  ; — nor  ftandeth  in 
"  the  way  of  fmners  ; — nor  fitteth  in  the  feat  of  the 
''  fconirul." 

It  is  not  agreed  am.ong  interpreters,  who  was  the  author 
of  this  Pfalm  ;  andj  indeed,  it  is  a  matter  more  of  curlofi- 
,ty  than  moment,  very  critically  to  inquire.  Some  think  it 
was  the  Pfalmift  David,  becaufe  of  the  high  efteem  ex- 
prened  in  it  for  the  law  of  God,  a  thing  which  fo  remark- 
ably dl'linguilhes  his  other  writings.  Others  refer  it  to  a 
]?.tcr  period  ;  and  fuppofe  that  Ezra,  or  fome  other  after 
the  captivity,  whb  coile6led  the  facred  hymns  of  different 
authors  into  one  volume,  prefixed  this  as  a  fort  of  argu- 
ment or  preface  to  the  whole.  It  is,  indeed,  a  fummary 
of  all  that  follow.  It  plainly  contains  a  character  both  of 
j^'ood  men  and  bad  ;  the  ufuai  courfe  of  divine  Providence 
towards  each  of  thefe  claffes,  as  well  as  the  final  ilTue  of 
their  condu6l,  in  the  everlafling  happinefs  of  the  one,  and 
the  everlailing  mifery  of  the  other. 

Even  the  moll  curfory  reader  mull  obferve,  that  there 
is  a  gradation  in  the  expreflions  of  the  text,  which  rife  one 
above  another  in  their  Itrength  and  energy  :  nay,  it  is  the 
opinion  of  many,  that  they  are  chofen  with  peculiar  artj 
and  contain  a  double,  if  not  a  threefold  gradation. 

1.  In  the  charafter,  beginning  with  the  ungodly^  who 
are  witliout  proper  imprellions  of  religion,  and  habitually 
governed  by  other  principles  than  the  fear  of  God.  Next, 
sirmcrs^  or  thoi'e  who  are  more  openly  flagitious,  and 
vifibly  guilty  of  grofs  crimes.  And  finally,  the  scornful^ 
who  fct  reproof  at  defiance,  and  treat  every  thing  ferious 
and  facred  with  contempt  and  difdain. 

2.  In  the  communication  of  others  with  them,  ivalk- 
ing ;  which  feems  to  imply  occafional,  unforefeen,  and 
tranfient  intercourfe  ; — standings  which  feems  to  indicate 
a  greater  degree  of  approbation  and  voluntary  compliance 
v/ith  their  example  ; — and  sittings  which  fignifies  being 
fixed  and  fettled  in  an  evil  courfe,  and  refufing  to  depart 

from  it. To  this  fome  add  the  other  expreffions,  the 

xounsel^  the  i^ay^  and  the  scat  \  on  wdiich  I  forbear  to  in- 
fift,  but  proceed  to  obferve, 


^0  Young  Persons.  4S5 

That  we  have,  in  this  paflage,  a  mofl  ufeful  and  hiftruc- 
tive  lefTon  of  great  moment  in  every  place  and  age  ;  and 
peculiarly  fuited,  on  feveral  accounts,  to  the  prefcnt  cir- 
Tcumflances  of  this  congregation.  It  is,  therefore,  my  re- 
folution  to  difcourfe  a  little,  through  the  alliflance  of  di- 
vine grace,  on  the  three  difl:in£l  branches  into  which  it 
may  be  naturally  divided. 

I.  The  infeftious  nature  of  fm,  or  the  danger  of  "  walk* 
**  ing  in  the  counfel  of  the  ungodly." 

II.  The  deceitful  and  hardening  nature  of  fm,  which 
infenfibly  leads  from  "  walking  in  the  counfel  of  the  un- 
*'  godly,"  to  "  Handing  in  the  way  of  fmners.'* 

III.  The  fmifliing  ilage  of  wickednefs,  the  moft  crimi- 
nal and  mod  pernicious  charaiSler,  viz,  of  the  scornful^ 
who  are  bold  enough  to  treat  things  ferious  and  facred 
with  derifion. 

Having  dorie  this,  I  fliall  make  fome  application  of  the 
fubjcdt,  for  your  inllrudtion  and  diredion. 

In  the  iirft  place,  let  us  confider  the  infedious  nature 
of  fm,  or  the  danger  of  walking  in  the  counfel  of  the  un- 
godly. That  the  fociety  of  bad  men  is  highly  dangerous 
to  all,  but  efpecially  to  young  perfons,  is  indeed  a  truth 
•  which  no  fober  man  will  deny,  and  which  hath  been  often 
fet  in  the  flrongefl  light  by  religious  and  moral  writers : 
it  may  therefore  feem  unnecelfary  to  infill  upon  it.  But, 
my  brethren,  I  am  perfuaded,  that  it  fares  often  with 
known  and  common  truths,  as  with  common  mercies, 
they  are  defpifed  for  their  cheapnefs.  Though  their  cei'- 
tainty  be  readily  allowed,  their  ufe  and  application  is,  not- 
withftanding,  or,  perhaps,  for  that  very  reafon,  in  a  great 
meafure  neglected.  How  feldom  is  it  that  men  make 
the  difliniSlion  with  care,  and  adl  upon  it  with  prudence 
and  refolution  ;  eidier  in  their  own  condudl,  or  in  the 
tlifpofal  of  their  children  ?  Bear  with  me,  therefore, 
while  I  endeavor  to  imprefs  your  minds  with  a  fenfe  of 
your  obligation  to  depart  from  the  fociety  of  evil-doers, 
and  to  preferve,  with  the  utmoft  folicitude,  all  young  per- 
fons under  your  care,  from  the  mortal  contagion. 

Vol.  II.  3  P 


486  Seatonahle  Advice 

For  the  importance  and  neceffity  of  this,  you  have  ttii 
concurrent  teHimony  of  wife  and  good  men,  in  every  age 
and  nation  ;  experience  hath  taught  it  to  the  moft  barba- 
rous, as  well  as  mofi  improved  and  polifned  people.  There 
is  no  nation  of  which  hiftory  hath  preferved  us  any  ac- 
count, but,  in  their  proverbial  fayings,  which  are  the  pro- 
du6t  of  time,  we  find  a  warning  againft  the  infection  of 
corrupt  fociety.  What  dying  parent,  in  his  laft  or  part- 
ing adieu  to  his  children,  ever  omitted  to  caution  them 
againft  the  fociety  of  bad  men  ?  nay,  doth  not  daily  expe- 
rience prove  this,  beyond  difpute,  to  every  one  who  hath 
the  leail  degree  either  of  memory  or  relieclion  ?  Is  there 
among  you  any  perfon,  who  has  arrived  at  the  unhappy 
dillindlion  of  being  knov/n  for  a  profligate  ?  Whenever  this 
Inappens,  thofe  about  him  are  able  to  mark  the  progrefs  of 
his  conaiption,  and  can  even  point  out  the  perfons,  or  fo- 
cieties,  where  he  was  firft  taught  the  rudiments  of  vice, 
and  initiated  in  the  principles  of  licentioufnefs  and  riot. 
I  am  none  of  thofe  who  either  deny  or  conceal  the  original 
inherent,  univerfal  corruption  of  human  nature  ;  and  yet 
I  fcruple  not  to  affirm,  that  example,  inftruction,  and  af- 
fiftance,  are  necelfary  to  our  improvement  even  in  vice. 
Without  this,  no  fingle  perfon  is  capable  of  arriving  at 
that  degree  of  depravity  which  we  have  fometimes  occa- 
fion  to  obferve. 

Whoever  would  examine  into  the  reafons,  and  imprefs 
his  mind  with  a  fenfe  of  the  danger  of  corrupt  fociety,  ef- 
pecially  to  youth,  may  juft  reflect  upon  the  following  par- 
ticulars. 

I.  We  are  all  by  nature  prone  to  fin.  It  is  the  growth 
of  the  foil,  as  weeds  of  the  curfed  ground.  If  weeds  can 
hardly  be  reftrained  by  the  utmoil  diligence  and  care  of  the 
huibandman,  what  an  enormous  proda6t  might  he  expert 
if  he  would  direftly  apply  himfelf  to  their  encouragement 
and  cultivation  ?  Juft  fo,  if  by  the  utmoil  care  and  attenti- 
on parents  can  hardly  reftrain  the  irregularities  of  their 
children,  and  form  them  to  true  piety  and  goodnefs  ;  what 
wickednefs  may  they  not  arrive  at,  if  they  are  delivered 
over  tofchools  of  profanity,  and  fuftered  to  form  their  fen- 
timents  and  manners,  from  thofe  who  have  long  "  walked 


to  Young  Persons,  4$^ 

<'  in  the  ways  of  their  own  hearts,  and  in  the  fijrht  of  their 
*'  own  eyes,"  without  "  fearing  God,  or  regard inp- man?" 

2.  Young  perfons  are  ignorant  and  unlulpicious  ; 
ftrangers  to  the  world,  they  are  alike  ignorant  of  the  cha- 
rafters  of  men,  and  the  effc6ls  of  vicious  courfes.  What 
a  prey  muft  fuch  be  to  the  artful  and  infmuating  language 
of  thofe,  who,  enflaved  by  habit,  and  wearing  the  chains  of 
vice,  find  their  chief  remaining  pleafure  in  feducing  others 
into  the  fame  miferable  ftate  ?  JufUy  is  the  great  en;;my  of 
mankind  called  tiie  deceiver,  becaiife  he  betrayed  our  firft 
parents  into  rebellion  by  a  lie  ;  and  in  the  fame  way  he 
and  all  his  fervants  continue  to  paint  and  varniili  over  fin 
with  falfe  colours,  that  it  may  be  embraced  without  reluc- 
tance, by  thofe  who  know  not  that  afterwards  ''  it  bitelh 
"  like  a  fcrpent,  and  ftingeth  like  an  adder.  Need  1  tell 
you  in  what  a  decent  garb  fin  is  often  clothed  ;  <ind  what 
honorable  names  it  often  alfumcs  in  the  world,  to  gain  the 
eafier  admiffion  ?  Senfuality  and  intemperance  is  fecial 
afiecSlion,  and  good  fellowfhip  :  filthy  obfcene  converfation 
is  but  harmlefs  mirth  and  freedom  :  anger  and  refentment 
is  but  honor,  refolution,  and  dignity  of  mind.  In  fliort, 
the  whole  tenor  and  ftrain  of  fafliionable  converfation  is 
often  little  elfe  than  a  ftrong  illufion  put  upon  the  mind, 
to  pervert  the  dictates  of  reafon,  and  evade  the  reproofs  of 
confcience.  How  dangerous  fuch  intercourfe  to  young  un- 
wary minds,  who  are  often  deej^ly  penetrated  with  the 
poifon,  before  they  fo  much  as  fufpecl  the  defign  of  its  be- 
ing  adminiftered  ?  It  requires  no  common  degree  of  for- 
titude and  refolution,  as  well  as  no  fmall  meafure  of  fpiri- 
tual  wifdom,  to  refift  the  importunity  of  finners,  and  un- 
ravel the  fubtilty  with  which  they  lie  in  v/ait  to  deceive. 

3.  Vice  is  ufually  baited  with  pleafure,  of  which  young 
perfons  are  peculiarly  fenfible  :  their  aifedions  of  every 
kind  arc  in  the  moft  lively  and  vigorous  ftate.  One  of 
the  firft  and  moft  important  leffons,  which  parents  and 
guardians  muft  teach  them,  is  moderation  and  reflraint ; 
whereas  the  immediate  effedl  of  alfociating  with  the  pro- 
fane, is  not  only  to  ftrengthen  their  pafiions  by  indulgence, 
but  to  inftru6l  them  how  'to  plead  in  their  defence  ;  and 
above  all,  to  infpire  them  with  an  abhorrence  of  confine- 


488  Seasonable  Advice 

ment  and  rule.  From  thefe  unhappy  attachments,  thefe 
iTioft  pernicious  friendfliips  it  is,  that  inftrudlion,  however 
excellent,  is  unwillingly  liftened  to ;  and  the  moll  wife 
and  gentle  government  is  efteemed  harlh  and  fevere.  It 
has  been  ibmetimes  obferved,  that  perfons  ftridlly  and  pi- 
oufly  educated,  when  they  have  come  into  the  world,  have 
run  headlong  into  the  mcfl  vicious  and  abandoned  courfe 
of  life.  This  has  been  commonly  afcribed  to  the  rigor 
of  their  former  confinement,  and  an  advice  grafted  upon 
it,  that  parents  fliould  be  lefs  fevere  to  their  children,  left 
they  fhould  more  than  compenfate  this  early  reftraint,  by 
the  liberties  which  they  afterwards  alfume.  But  though  I 
willingly  admit,  that  every  parent  fliould  temper  his  au- 
thority with  gentlenefs  and  love  ;  yet  I  am  far  from  think- 
ing the  effect,  jull  now  mentioned,  is  afcribed  to  its  proper 
caufe  ;  it  is  not  owing  fo  much  to  the  rigor  of  parental  au- 
thority, as  to  young  perfons  getting  into  the  fociety  of 
men  without  principle,  and  there  fecretly  imbibing  thefe 
vicious  defires,  which  afterwards  they  rejoice  in  an  oppor- 
tunity of  gratifying  to  the  full.  Howeyer  flrift  and  fevere 
any  perfon's  education  maybe,  if  he  comes  to  maturity  of 
age,  l3efore  he  contracts  an  intimacy  with  thofe  who  juili- 
fy  the  commiffion  of  fai,  confcience  v/ili  have  acquired  fo 
great  authority,  that  all  folicitation  to  grofs  wickednefs 
will  be  received  with  abhorrence.  This  opinion  is  fup- 
ported  by  a  fact,  v/hich  T  imagine  I  have  obferved,  that  the 
children  of  pious  parents,  who  are  betrayed  into  vicious 
courfes^,  are  almofi:  always  fuch  as  have  been  moll  early  re- 
moved from  their  innnediate  infpeclion. 

4.  The  danger  of  corrupt  fociety  to  young  perfons  ap- 
pears, from  their  being  expofed  to  ridicule  and  fcorn, 
which  is  of  all  other  trials  hardcft  for  them  to  bear.  I  fhall 
have  occafion,  on  the  third  general  head,  to  fpeak  more 
fully  on  this  fubjeil ;  but  in  the  mean  time,  it  is  certain^ 
that  a  lenfe  of  iliame  is  ftrong  in  young  perfons  in  gene- 
ral, and  that  ridicule  is  the  ufual  weapon,  by  which  adepts 
in  vice  aHault  the  caufe  of  truth  and  piety ;  by  which  in- 
deed they  commonly  endeavor  to  deilroy  ail  regard  to 
decency  and  order.  It  is  lamentable  to  think,  how  often 
perfons  of  eiiccUent  capacity,  and  admirable  difpofjtionj, 


to  7'oiwg  Persojia.  4S^ 

have  been  led  aftray  by  the  abufe  of  this  moR  amiable 
quality,  a  fenle  of  fhame. 

From  all  thefe  confiderations,  we  need  not  be  furpriftd 
at  the  frequent  and  flronfj  cautions  given  in  the  word  of 
God,  upon  this  fubjedl :  Prov.  xiii.  20.  "  He  that  walketh 
*'  with  wife  men  fliall  be  wife :  but  a  companion  of  fools 
*'  fhall  be  deflroyed." — Chap,  xxviii.  7.  ''  Whofo  keep- 
*'  edi  the  law,  is  a  wife  fon ;  but  he  that  is  a  companion 
"  of  riotous  men,  fliameth  his  lather."  But  there  is  no- 
thing more  moving  than  that  earneft  and  pathetic  exhor- 
tation ;  Chap.  iv.  14,  15.  '•  Knter  not  into  the  path  of 
*'  the  wicked,  and  go  not  in  the  way  of  evil  men ;  avoid 
"  it :  pafs  not  by  it :  turn  from  it  and  pafs  away."  The 
wife  man's  infilling  upon  his  important  counfcl,  and  the  re- 
iteration of  the  cxpreflions,  fcrvcs  to  convey,  in  the  iirongeli: 
manner,  a  fenfe  of  the  certain  ruin  of  thole  who  neglctl 
to  obferve  it. 

II,  Let  us  now  proceed  to  confidcr  the  hardening  na- 
ture of  fm,  which  leads  from  "  v/alking  in  the  counfel 
"  of  the  ungodly,  to  Handing  in  the  way  of  "fmners." 
Upon  this,  as  on  the  former  particular,  I  may  obferve, 
it  is  a  known  and  beaten  fubjetl,  on  which  it  is  eafy  to 
fay  things  ftrong,  but  difficult  to  lay  any  thing  new. 
There  are  feveral  jufl  remarks  upon  it,  or  llriking  limili- 
tudes,  which  have  been  handed  down  from  the  earlieft 
ages  ;  and  were  probably  the  firll  fruits  of  human  experi- 
ence. The  little  that  I  am  at  prefent  to  repeat  or  add, 
Ihall  be  divided  into  two  parts  :  1.  The  gradual  and  in- 
fenfible  progrefs  of  fm,  which  leads  the  fmner  on  from 
one  Hep  to  another,  till  he  is  irrecoverably  loft.  2.  The 
ftrength  and  power  of  inveterate  habit. 

I.  The  infenfible  progrefs  of  fm.  It  is  wonderful  by 
what  artful  methods,  what  plaufible  pretences,  and  what 
flow  degrees,  fin  makes  its  firft  approaches.  Let  fome  of 
thofe  perfons  who  are  now  loft  to  all  fenfe  of  duty,  or  of 
fhame,  refledt,  if  poffible,  with  what  horror  ihey  would 
once  have  thought  of  the  practices,  which  at  prel'ent  they 
are  not  able  to  forfake.  Every  fin,  how  fmall  foever, 
opens  a  padagc  for  the  admiffion  of  multitudes  of  others ; 
breaks  the  reftraint  of  confcience  ;  habituates  and  cmbol- 


490  Seasonable  Advice 

dens  the  fmner.  The  ancients  were  wont  to  fay,  That 
the  way  of  fin  is  down-hill :  every  fi;ep  a  man  takes  on 
this  declivity,  accelerates  his  motion,  fo  that  it  becomes 
more  and  more  difficult,  and  at  laft  impoifible,  to  ftop  his 
courfe.  This  is  what  the  apoflle  Paul  had  in  his  view, 
when  he  gave  this  excellent  precept  to  the  Chriftian 
Hebrews;  Heb.  iii.  13.  "  But  exhort  one  another  daily, 
*•■  while  it  is  called  to-day,  left  any  of  you  be  hardened 
*'  through  the  deceitfulnefs  of  fm."  We  may  fay  of  fm,  in 
general,  v/hat  Solomon  fays  of  ftrife ;  "  The  beginning 
''''  of  it  is  like  the  letting  out  of  water.'*  If  you  watch 
againft  the  beginning  of  fm,  you  may  hope  to  prevail  i 
but  if  you  once  grant  it  indulgence,  it  Vvdll  eftablifh 
and  increafe  its  own  power.  To  attempt  then  to  ftop  its 
progrefs,  is  like  endeavoring  to  gather  together  a  flood  of 
v/ater,  after  you  have,  with  your  own  hands,  opened  the 
the  flaices  which  have  caufed  it  to  overflow. 

2.  To  the  infenfible  progrefs  of  fm,  add  the  ftrength 
and  power  of  inveterate  habit.  This  is  reprefented  to  us 
in  the  ftrongeft  terms  in  fcripture,  where  the  changing  of 
an  inveterate  habit  is  compared  to  a  natural  impoffibility  : 
Jer.  xiii.  23.  "  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  fldn,  or  the 
*"*■  leopard  his  fpots  ?  then  may  ye  alfo  do  good,  that  ar^ 
*^  accuftomed  to  do  evil." 

As  v/e  may  receive  many  ufeful  moral  lefibns  from  the 
vifible  creation  and  the  courfe  of  nature ;  fo  this  in  par- 
ticular, of  the  force  of  habit,  is,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  written 
in  the  moft  legible  chara6lers,  and  repeated  in  every  page 
of  both.  A  ftone,  which  has  long  continued  in  one  place, 
makes  itfelf  a  bed,  and  is  with  great  difficulty  removed  :  a 
plant  or  tree  that  has  long  been  confined  to  one  pofition, 
or  made  to  grow  in  a  particular  fhape,  will  feldom  ever 
receive  any  other.  This  is  alfo  the  cafe  with  our  own 
bodily  frame.  Particular  poftures  or  motions  to  which  we 
have  been  early  habituated,  can  fcarcely  be  altered  by  the 
iitmoft  attention,  and  the  ftrongeft  inclination  of  the  will : 
the  obftinacy  is  ftill  greater  in  all  habits  where  defire  and 
affection  have  place.  It  is  eafy  to  fee  every  day,  the  vio- 
lent attachment  men  have  to  employments  and  pleafures, 
however  trifling  in  themfelves,  to  which  they  have  been 


tv  Toutig  Persons,  49  j 

long  jiccuftomed.  But  it  is  greatefl  of  all  in  fmful  habits, 
becaufe  in  them  the  force  of  cuflom  is  added  to  the  original 
firength  of  natural  corruption. 

Both  the  above  particulars  may  be  illuflrated,  by  ob- 
ferving,  how  much  habit  and  example  together  operate  lo 
the  improvement  and  perfection  of  guilt,  in  large  and  po- 
pulous cities.  There  wc  may  often  find  lb  aftonifhing  a 
degree  of  wickednefs  of  every  fort,  as  it  is  mortifying  to 
think  that  human  nature  Ihould  be  capable  of:  there  we 
may  find  perfons  who  will  perpetrate  calmly  and  fcdatel}', 
what  would  furprize  a  lefs  knov/ing  finner  fo  much  as  to 
hear  of.  And  what  pity  is  it,  that  there  fliould  be  found 
fome,  who,  during  their  occafional  refidencc  in  places  of 
great  refort,  lay  down  their  innocence,  inflead  of  their 
rufticity  ;  and  bring  home  no  other  accomplilhment  but 
an  infolence  and  boldnefs  of  countenance,  in  the  com- 
miffion  of  fin  ?  That  indrufted  in  the  principles,  as  well 
as  habituated  to  the  pradlice  of  impiety,  they  are  not  con- 
tent with  doing  evil,  but  difcover  an  incredible  induftry 
and  afiiduity  in  deceiving  and  feducing  others.  And  fliall 
I  not  add,  what  pity  is  it,  that  fome,  infiead  of  improving 
and  adorning  their  minds  by  application  to  fiudy,  or 
floring  them  with  ufeful  knowledge,  do  more  than  lofe 
their  time,  by  drinking  in  the  poifon  of  infidel  writings  ? 
Indead  of  fitting  themfelves  to  difcliarge  the  duties  of  pub- 
lic or  private  life,  with  propriety  and  dignity,  they  only 
acquire  the  unhappy  talent  of  fetting  their  minds  at  eafe 
in  the  commiflion  of  fin,  and  make  large  additions  to  their 
own  natural  depravity  of  heart. 

III.  Let  us  confider  the  finifliing  fi:age  of  wickednefs, 
the  moft  criminal  and  the  moil  pernicious  charadler,  viz. 
that  of  the  fcornful,  who  are  bold  enough  to  treat  things 
ferious  and  facred,  with  dcrifion. 

This  part  of  the  fubjecl,  my  brethren,  merits  your  par- 
ticular attention,  and  naturally  divides  itfelf  into  tliefe  two 
branches  :  Firft,  The  fin  and  danger  of  it  to  the  perfons 
who  are  guilty  of  it.  Secondly,  The  unhappy  inHuence 
it  hath  in  polluting  others. 


492  Seasonable  Adviti 

I.  The  fill  and  danger  of  it  to  the  guilty  perfotisi 
Whoever  will  confider  the  ftate  of  mind  from  which  fuch 
derifion  muft  flow,  will  immediately  perceive  that  it  im- 
plies the  higliefl  degree  of  profanenefs  and  impiety.  It  is 
iuch  an  audacious  attack  upon  the  majeily  of  the  living 
God,  as  mult  ftrike  every  thinking  perfon  with  ailonifli- 
ment  and  horror.  One  of  the  firit  principles  of  all  reli- 
gion is  reverence  for  the  Deity,  and  for  every  thing  that 
hath  a  vifible  relation  to  him.  This  we  find  written  upon 
the  confcience,  in  general,  even  of  the  moll  blinded  hea- 
thens. The  common  and  trivial  ufe  of  the  name  of  God 
is  prohibited  under  the  fevereft  fan6lions  in  the  oracles  of 
truth.  We  find  alfo  fome  inilances  there,  of  mere  irre- 
verence being  puniilied  in  a  very  terrible  manner.  The 
angelic  hoils,  though  perfectly  pure  and  holy,  are  yet  re- 
prefented  as  deeply  penetrated  with  a  fenfe  of  the  extreme 
difproportion  betv/een  uncreated  excellence,  and  created 
weaknefs,  and  filled  with  the  higheft  veneration  of  him 
who  only  is  holy  :  Ifa.  vi.  i,  2,  3.  "  In  the  year  that 
*'  king  Uzziah  died,  I  faw  alfo  the  Lord  fitting  upon  a 
"  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple. 
"  Above  it  ilood  the  feraphims :  each  one  had  fix  wings, 
"  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  co- 
"  vered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one 
"  cried  unto  another,  and  faid.  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the 
"  Lord  of  hods,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.'*  It 
may  feem  unneceflary  or  improper  to  add,  and  yet  it 
gives  me  pleafure  that  I  can  do  it  with  truth,  the  fame 
thing  has  evidently  diftinguiflied  fome  of  the  beft:  and 
greatefi  men  on  earth.  We  are  well  informed,  that  fome 
of  the  greatefi:  inquirers  into  nature,  as  they  grew  in  years, 
and  increafed  in  the  knowledge  of  the  works  of  God,  did 
alfo  vifibly  grow  in  an  awe  and  reverence  of  their  almighty 
Alaker.  Of  one  in  particular,  it  is  faid,  that  he  never 
mentioned  the  name  of  God  without  a  fenfible  paufe  in  his 
difcourfe.  After  this,  what  can  we  think  of  an}-  poor 
creature,  whofe  breath  is  in  his  nofi:rils,  being  guilty  of 
contempt  and  fcorn  of  the  name,  attributes,  works  or 
worfhip  of  God ! 


to  Toun^  Persons.  49;^ 

There  is  a  remarkable  difference  between  fins  of  this 
kind,  and  many  other  fins  wliich  are,  notvvithfiamling, 
very  heinous  and  aggravated  in  the  fight  of  God.  Into  ma- 
ny other  fins  of  a  very  grofs  nature,  a  man  may  be  hurried 
by  the  violence  of  pafilon,  or  betrayed  by  the  fuddennefs 
ot'  temptation  ;  but,  if  I  mifi:ake  not,  fcorn  of  things  facrcd 
muft  alvva}'S  be  a  deliberate  crime  :  the  fin  cannot  be  com- 
mitted  without  a  good  deal  of  compofure  and  pre  fence  of 
mind  :  rcafon  is  not  over-borne,  as  in  other  cafes,  by  ap- 
petite ;  but  reafon  itfcif  (if  the  perverted  gift  of  God  in 
ilich  perfons  inay  be  called  fo)  is  principal  in  the  guilt. 
A  icorner  is  never  tempted,  properly  ipeaking,  but  by 
thefe  aCls  and  exercifes  of  religion,  which  flioukl  excite 
the  veneration  of  all,  and  do  excite  the  veneration  of  ma- 
ny, not  excepting  fome  of  the  moft  profligate. 

Contempt  of  things  facred  is  an  entire  vi(5lory  over 
confcience.  In  many  cafes  men  fin  with  fome  reluclance: 
it  is  not  fo  much  their  choice,  as  tiicy  are  over-borne  by 
the  ftrength  of  corruption,  and  vitiate  the  peace  of  iheii* 
minds,  to  gratify  the  demands  of  luft; :  hence  rernorfe  of- 
ten fucceeds  the  iiululgence  ;  and  though  real  reformation 
does  not  take  place,  yet  it  lays  the  finner  under  frequent 
and  confiderable  reflraints.  But  in  treating  things  facred 
with  fcorn,  the  mind  is  wholly  at  eafe  ;  and  finds  its  plea- 
fure  in  the  very  impiety  itfelf.  The  truth  is,  fo  entire  is 
the  victory  over  confcience,  that  nothing  but  fettled  athe- 
ifm  and  infidelity  can  be  guilty  of  it,  according  to  that  jufl: 
cxprelfion  of  the  pfalmiil,  Pfalm  x.  13.  Wherefore  doth 
"  the  wicked  contemn  God  ?  He  hath  faid  in  his  heart, 
*'  thou  wilt  not  require  it." 

It  is  alfo  an  entire  viiSlory  over  lliamc  :  this  is  com- 
monly the  lad  refiraint  that  finncrs  overthrow.  Alany 
are  confined  and  kept  in  awe  by  the  fear  of  man,  long  af- 
ter they  have  caft  Oif  tlie  fear  of  God.  From  the  fname- 
fulnefs  of  fin,  religion  preferves  fome  degree  of  credit, 
even  where  a  great  plurality  is  in  the  oppofite  interefti 
For  this  reafon  the  prophet  Jeremiah  m.entions  it  as  a  great 
aggravation  of  the  fins  of  his  countiynien,  that  they  Vvere 
loll  to  all  fenfe  of  fliame  :  Jer.  vi.  15.  "  Were  tiity 
^'  afliamed  when  they  had  comn^itted  abomination  ?  nay, 
Vol.  II.  3  (^ 


494  Seasonable  Advice 

"  tliey  were  not  at  all  afliamed,  neither  could  they  bluili ; 
"  therefore  they  fliall  fall  among  them  that  fall :  at  the 
*'  time  that  I  vifit  them,  they  lliall  be  call:  down,  faith  the 
"  Lord."  But  is  it  not  evident,  that  fcorners  are  deftitute 
of  iliamc  ?  They  have,  indeed,  not  only  extinguiflied  it 
in  themfelvcs,  but  the  manifell  defign  of  their  converfa- 
tion  is  to  deilroy  it  in  the  minds  of  others. 

I  need  add  nothing  further  to  fliew  the  guilt  and  dan- 
ger of  perfons  of  this  character,  but  putting  you  in  mind 
cf  the  rank  which  it  holds  in  feveral  catalogues  of  crying 
fins  in  the  lioly  fcriptures,  and  the  awful  judgments  of 
God  which  are  denounced  againil:  it.  The  prophet  Eze- 
kiel,  in  enumerating  the  fms  of  Jcrufalem,  among  many 
enormities,  hath  this  ;  Ezek.  xxii.  8.  "  Thou  haft  defpi- 
"  fed  mine  holy  things,  and  profaned  my  Sabbaths." 
And  the  prophet  Ifaiah,  Ifa.  xxviii.  14,  21,  22.  Now, 
"  therefore,  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye  fcornful  men 
*'  that  rule  this  people  which  is  in  Jerufalem. — For  the 
"  Lord  Ihall  rife  up  as  in  mount  Perazim,  he  fliall  be 
"  wroth  as  in  the  valley  of  Gibeon,  that  he  may  do  his 
''  work,  his  ftrange  work ;  and  bring  to  pafs  his  adl,  his 
"  ilrange  aft.  Now,  therefore,  be  not  m.ockers,  left  your 
"  bands  be  made  ftrong  :  for,  I  have  heard  from  the  Lord 
"  God  of  hofts,  a  confumption  even  determined  upon  the 
"  whole  earth."  See  alio  the  ftate  of  things  in  Jeruialcm, 
immediately  before  the  Babylonifli  captivity :  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  16.  "  But  they  mocked  the  meflengers  of  God, 
*'  and  defpifed  his  words,  and  mifiifed  his  prophets,  im- 
"  til  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arofe  againft  his  people,  till 
"  there  was  no  remedy." 

2.  How  unhappy  is  the  influence  of  this  charafter  upon 
others !  As  it  is  highly  criminal,  it  is  pernicious  in  the 
fame  proportion.  Confidered  only  as  an  example,  it  muft 
have  dangerous  effects  :  many  fms  Ihun  tlie  light ;  and 
are,  by  thofe  that  commit  them,  concealed  with  the  ut- 
moft  care.  When  that  is  the  cafe,  whatever  they  may 
be  to  the  guilty  perfon,  they  are  far  from  being  fo  danger- 
ous to  the  public,  as  thofe  crimes  that  are  not  only  often 
vifible,  but  done  on  purpofe  to  be  feen.  -Now,  fcoflfers  at 
things  facred  mull  always  be  an  example,  as  the  crime 


to  Young  Persons.  495 

eannot  be  committed  alone ;  and,  indeed,  they  often  af- 
pire  at  a  l<.ind  of  charafter  fordcfpifinfi;  reli;^ion,  and  would 
be  greatly  mortified,  were  their  accompliflimcnts  of  this 
kind  hidden  from  the  world. 

Neither  is  it  merely  a  common  example  :  fcoflers  are 
not  only  barely  fumcrs  ;  they  are  advocates  for  iin  :  it  is 
their  conllant  fludy  to  break  the  reftraints  of  confcience, 
and  weaken  every  moral  obligation  in  others,  as  well  as 
in  themfelves.  This  too  they  endeavor  to  eflect  in  tlie 
mod  agreeable  manner :  contempt  of  religion  makes  a 
part  of  their  focial  mirth ;  and  thcfe  two  things  are  foon 
looked  upon  by  the  unwary  youth  as  fo  infepanible,  that 
the  one  is  quite  tallelcfs  and  infipid,  unlefs  it  is  fcafoned 
by  the  other. 

It  defer ves  particular  confideration  on  this  fubjetft,  that 
fcoffing  at  things  facred  is  apt  to  give  natural  modefty, 
and  die  fenfc  of  fhamc  in  young  perfons,  a  wrong  and  con- 
trary turn.  Modefty  is  the  Itrongell  natural  fence  to 
virtue.  We  find  notwithflanding,  very  frequently,  that 
perfons  of  great  natural  modclly  have  not  courage  fufhci- 
ent  to  profefs  or  praftlfe  what  confcience  diftates  to  be 
their  duty.  How  unhappy  is  it  when  fo  excellent  a  pre- 
fervativc  from  vice  is  thus  quite  perverted,  and  has  an 
oppofite  cfieft  !  All  hiftory  is  full  of  the  powerful  efiefts 
of  a  fenfe  of  lliame,  both  in  doing  good  and  evil.  It  breaks 
the  flongefl  of  all  natural  attachments:  it  h  not  to  be  over- 
come by  the  fevereft  laws,  diough  fortified  with  the  mod 
terrible  fanflions.  Now,  as  it  needs  no  proof,  that  fcof- 
fing at  facred  things  tends  to  pervert  the  fenfe  of  fliame, 
it  mud  have  the  grcatcd  and  mod  immediate  efiecl  in 
bringing  on  a  general  diffolution  of  manners. 

The  malignant  influence  of  profane  fcorn  is  not  con- 
fined to  young  perfons,  tliere  being  very  few  of  any  cha- 
ra6ter  who  are  not  hurt  by  it  in  a  mod  fenfible  manner. 
Would  you  be  convinced  of  tiiis  ?  How  rarely  do  we  find 
any  podefi'ed  of  a  determined  courage  and  rcfolution  in 
oppofing  fafhionable  crimes  !  How  unwilling  are  the  bed 
to  fuffer  diame  for  adhering  to  tlieir  duty  !  "Wliat  a  varie- 
ty of  efforts  will  be  made  to  efcape  it  !  Contempt  is  dil- 
agreeable  at  any  rate  ;  and  it  is  intolerable  to  pride,  fomc 


49  <5  Seasonable  Achice 

remains  of  which,  capable  of  being  irritated,  are  to  he  found 
in  the  very  bell  men  on  earth.  For  this  reafcn,  the  moft 
ellabliflied  ChrilUans  do  carefully  fliun  all  unneceflary 
fociery  with  wicked  men,  knowing  how  difficult  it  is  to 
avoid  fin  in  one  fliape  or  other.  If  fuch  is  the  cafe  with 
the  bed,  how  dangerous  mull  the  fociet}'-  of  fcorners  be  to 
all  who  are  able  to  bear  them  ;  but  efpecially  to  thofe  who 
"  have  pleafure  in  them  !*' 

It  v/ill  not  be  improper  here  to  obferve,  that  one  great 
reafon  why  fcorn  and  ridicule  is  fo  hurtful  to  rtligion,  is^ 
that  it  attacks  things  facred  through  the  medium  of  human 
weaknefs.  True  piety  and  virtue  is  in  itfelf  fo  venerable 
an  object,  diat  it  is  not  pofiible  to  render  it  ridiculous,  but 
but  by  mifreprefention  :  however,  as  it  is  alwa)s,  in  this 
world,  attended  with  human  infirmity,  ti.is  affords  a  handle 
to  profane  perfons  to  load  it  with  reproach.  Their  fuc- 
cels,  in  this  unhappy  defign,  is  no  greater  than  may  natu- 
rally be  cxpefted ;  it^N  are  able  to  difiinguifli  between  a 
perfon  and  his  caufe,  nor,  indeed,  is  it  pofiible  to  attack 
the  one,  without  wounding  the  other.  It  evidently  ap- 
pears, that  it  is  impoffible  to  treat  religious  perfons  in 
general,  or  the  expreiTions,  forms,  and  rites  comimcnly 
appropriated  to  religious  worfiiip,  with  fcorn  ;  and  not,  at 
the  fame  time,  bring  religion  itfelf  into  contempt. 

I  do  not  mean  by  this  to  plead  for  approbation,  or  even 
indulgence,  to  any  indecency,  by  which  folly  or  vanity 
may  abufe  or  dilgrace  the  v/orfhip  of  God  :  far  from  it^ 
I  think  every  tiling  of  that  kind  ought  to  be  reproved  v/ith 
levei-ity,  and  oppofcd  with  refolution  :  but  I  contend,  that 
it  is  infinitely  more  proper  to  treat  it  with  abhorrence  and 
deteilation,  than  with  fcorn.  Whoever  v/ill  give  himfelf 
this  liberty,  may  eafily  find  an  opportunity,  from  the 
weaknefs  infe})arable  from  humanity,  to  throw  oil' that  re- 
verence for  God  and  Ijisfervice,  which  it  ought  to  be  his 
ch:cf  folicitude  to  preferve  and  improve.  There  are  ma- 
ny whofe  vifible  weaknefs  is  to  be  lamented;  and,  perhaps, 
there  is  no  human  character  at  all  fo  perfe6tly  decent  in 
every  refpedl,.  but,  by  imitation,  and  a  little  aggravation , 
it  may  l^e  rendered  ridiculous. 
■  Let  it  alfo  be  coiifidered,  that  it  requires  far  lefs  compre- 


to  Toiing  Persons.  497 

hcnfion  of  mind  to  expofe  the  folly  and  weaknefs  of 
others,  or  even  to  invent  pLiufible  falfelioodn,  and  niirrc- 
prefent  them,  than  to  reafon  with  julhicl's  and  propriety 
on  the  mod  common  fuhjeds  :  A  very  linall  degree  of 
ability  is  fufficient  to  accoinpliili  a  fcoilcr,  wlio  is  not  rc- 
ftrained  by  any  lenlc  of  duty.  Nor  is  this  to  be  won- 
dered at  ;  for  there  is  always  a  fufficient  number,  to  v/hofe 
undcrfiandings  the  moll  vile  and  mifcrable  performance  is 
pcrfcdly  adapted. 

In  iupportof  all  this,  I  could  adduce  many  examples, 
abundanilv  knov^^n  and  familiar  :  but,  for  certain  reasons, 
1  Ihall  oaly  mention  a  very  celebrated  inllancelVom  anti- 
quity. Socrates  was  certainly  the  wifcll  and  the  beff  man 
of  all  the  heathens,  vvhofe  charadiers  have  been  tranfmit- 
ted  to  us.  His  behavior  was  fuch,  as  not  only  dcfcrveii, 
but  feemed  fit  to  command  the  efteem  and  veneration  of 
all  v/ho  knew  him  :  yet  was  this  worthy  man  fuccefsi'Lilly 
turned  into  ridicule,  by  a  perfon,  whofe  writings,  which 
have  come  down  to  us,  are  to  the  kill  decree  mean  and 
contemptible.  Nor  was  the  effedt  merely  traiifient ;  for 
in  thi  opinion  of  many,  this  contempt  paved  the  v/ay  for 
the  hatred  which  his  enemies  foon  raifed  againft  him,  and 
which  brought  him  to  his  death.. 

I  proceed  now,  in  the  lafl;  place,  to  make  fome  improve- 
ment of  v/hat  has  been  faid  :  and  I  think  I  can  difcover 
in  the  afpcdl  of  the  audience,  that  you  already  fuppofc  I 
have  been  led  to  the  choice  of  this  fubjedl,  by  the  late 
atrocious  and  flagrant  offence,  committed  in  the  near 
neighborhood  of  where  1  now  hand  ;  and  which  hath  af- 
fected every  thinking  and  well-difpofed  perfon  in  the 
place,  with  a  mixture  of  indignation  and  concern.  That 
this  is  indeed  tiie  cafe,  I  have  no  intention  either  to  deny 
or  conceal.  Many,  I  know,  are  of  opinion,  that  fidelity 
to  m\'^  charge  calls  for  fomething  of  this  nature  on  the  pre- 
i'ent  occafion  :  if  to  others  tiie  particular  difculfion  and 
application  of  this  fubjedt  ihculd  need  any  apology,  there 
are  two  tilings,  for  which  I  hope  to  have  the  teftimony  of 
all  my  ordinary  hearers,  i.  That  I  have  never  omitted 
to  mention  with  all  Ireedom  and  plainnefs,  the  fins  and 


49^  Seasonable  Advice 

duties  of  every  rank  and  clafs  of  men,  as  the  fuhje£l  led 
to  it,  or  the  occafion  feemcd  to  require  it.  2.  That  in 
doing  this,  I  have  generally  avoided  bringing  in  particular 
accidents  that  have  fallen  out  in  the  place  ;  being  much 
of  opinion,  that  the  Icfs  perfonal  any  thing  of  that  nature 
is,  it  is  the  more  likely  to  be  ufeful.  But  though  I  conti- 
nue in  the  fame  opinion  in  general,  there  are  fome  things 
fo  flagrant  and  atrocious  in  their  nature,  fo  dangerous 
and  hurtful  in  their  efFcdls,  that  bare  filence  concerning 
them  v/ould  carry  in  it  an  imputation  of  unfaithfulnefs, 
or  partiality  in  a  minifler  of  Chrift.  And  as  in  the  pre- 
fent  cafe,  the  fcandal  feems  loudly  to  call  for  fome  public 
notice  of  it,  fo  it  is  impoffible  to  make  the  perfons  more 
known  than  they  arc  already  by  their  own  folly.  If  it 
could  make  them  any  more  afliamed,  it  would  be  an  un- 
fpeakable  benefit  both  to  the  public  and  themfelves. 

With  a  view  therefore  to  the  fcandal  juft  now  hinted  at, 
fuffer  me  to  apply  the  truths  above  illuftrated,  by  giving 
you  fome  advice  and  diredlion,  under  the  three  following 
charadlers,  one  or  more  of  which  will  include  every  per- 
fon  v/ho  now  hears  me. 

I.  To  thofe  who  are  young  :  in  that  lovely,  precious, 
dangerous  feafon  of  life  ;  of  all  others  the  fittelt  for  learn- 
ing what  is  good,  and  unhappily  prone  to  learn  or  imi- 
tate what  is  evil.  My  dear  children,  this  is  not  the  firft 
of  many  times  I  have  addrelTcd  inftru6lion  particularly  to 
you,  and  I  pray  that  God  may  open  your  hearts  to  receive 
it.  Let  me  befeech  you,  firft  of  all,  to  learn  this  impor- 
tant leffon,  to  diftruft  yourfelvec,  be  fenfiblc  of  your  inex- 
perience, and  be  perfuaded  of  your  danger,  from  the  ad- 
monitions of  others.  The  greateft  evidence  you  can  give 
of  real  knowledge,  is  to  be  fenfible  of  your  ignorance  ; 
and  of  true  wifdom,  to  be  willing  to  learn  :  the  folicitude 
and  concern  of  your  parents  or  other  relations.,  to  preferve 
you  from  the  deftruftive  paths  of  vice,  is  from  their  cer- 
tain knowledge  of  what  you  are  now  unwilling  to  believe. 
Above  all  things,  fliun,  as  the  peftilence,  the  fociety  of 
profane  fcorners.  Loft  to  all  fenfe  of  piety,  feared  in  their 
confciences,  and  enflavcd  to  their  lufts,  they  will  do  all  in 
their  power  to  deftroy  a  rifing  fenfe  of  religion  in  your 


to  Toung  Persons  49<) 

iTiinds  :  "  While  they  promife  you  liberty,  ihcy  iheni- 
felves  are  the  fervants  of  corruption."  Think  uj^on  eter- 
nity approaching  :  no  man  can  forefce  or  foretell  to  you 
now,  whether  your  time  on  earth  fliall  be  long  or  fhort  ; 
whether  you  fliall  liavc  much  profperity,  or  many  trials 
in  the  prefent  world  ;  but  as  the  blefling  of  God  is  the  belt 
ingredient  in  all  temporal  mercies,  fo  being  at  peace  with 
him  is  the  bell  fupport  under  fuffering,  and  the  only  pre- 
paration for  death. 

But  as  all  the  delufivc  arguments  in  favor  of  fin  are 
drawn  from  this  prefent  life,  fuffer  mc  to  plead  the  caufc 
of  piety  and  truth  in  this  refpe6l.  Be  afTured  that  true  re- 
ligion is  the  way  to  health,  peace,  opulence  and  pubhc 
efteem.  Hear  the  wifeft  of  mere  men  :  Prov.  iii.  i6,  17, 
"  Length  of  days  is  in  Wifdom's  right  hand,  and  in  her 
*'  left  hand  riches  and  honor.  Her  ways  are  ways  of  j^lea- 
*'  fantnefs,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace."  Do  not  look 
only  on  thofe  libertines  who  are  in  the  beginning  or  mid- 
dle of  their  courfe,  whofe  fpirits  are  lively,  and  their  vi- 
gor yet  unimpaired  :  look  on  the  few  older  praftitioners. 
Thefe  v/cre  the  good  fellows  and  focial  fpirits  of  a  former 
period :  their  companions  were  cut  off  in  the  middle  of 
their  days,  and  they  remain  as  beacons  for  your  inilruc- 
tion  and  warning.  Do  you  fee  them  hillen  in  their  de- 
portment, mean  in  their  attire,  and  defpifed  by  the  world 
itfelf ;  their  faces  bloated  with  intemperance,  and  their 
mifcrable  offspring  pale  with  hunger,  or  crippled  b}^  ne- 
glc(5l  ?  thefe  are  the  terrible  fruits  of  midnight  rioting. 
They  were  once  as  merry  in  their  cups,  as  ready  with 
their  jells,  and  as  great  deipifers  of  Sabbaths,  and  fermons, 
of  whining  and  praying,  as  any  of  their  more  fprightly 
fuccelfors,  who  are  in  the  high  road  to  the  fame  defpicable 
end. 

My  dear  friends,  when  you  perceive  any  one  (liiTing 
up  your  averfion  to  parental  authority,  and  teaching  you 
to  defpife  the  troublefome  admonitions  of  minifiers  and 
mothers,  know  that  he  is  enticing  you  to  the  ruin  of  foul, 
body,  and  ellate.  Hear  again  the  wife  man,  or  rather  tiic 
Spirit  of  God  fpcaking  by  l»im  :  Prov.xxiii.19,  t^c.  ''  Hear 
*'  then,  my  fon,  and  be  wife,  and  ruide  thine  heart  in  iho 


50d  Seasonable  Advice 

"  way  :  be  not  amongft  wine  bibbers,  ainongft  rlototis 
"  eaters  of  flefh  ;  for  the  drunkard  and  the  glutton  iliall 
"  come  to  poverty,  and  drowfmefs  fliall  clothe  a  man  with 
*'  rags.  Hearken  unto  thy  father  that  begat  thee,  and  de- 
"  ff^ife  not  thy  mother  when  flie  is  old."  Prov.  xxx.  17. 
"  The  eye  that  mocketh  at  his  fiUher,  and  defpifeth  to 
"  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley  fhall  pick  it 
"  out,  and  the  young  eagles  fhall  eat  it." 

Do  you  indeed  think,  that  any  of  your  loofe  compa- 
nions, v/ith  all  their  profcffions  of  friendlbip  and  attach- 
ment, have  the  fame  concern  for  your  true  intereil  that 
a  parent  has ;  or  the  fame  judgment  to  difcern  it  ?  Yon 
may  efteem  it  as  a  favor  when  you  are  affifted  in  the  in- 
dulgence of  3^our  pleafures,  and  your  irregular  courfes 
are  concealed  from  the  knowledge  of  your  relations ;  but 
it  is  in  truth  the  greatefc  injury  that  can  pofubly  be  done 
you  :  it  is  often  diftreffing  to  thofe  of  riper  years  and  more 
experience,  to  obferve  how  difficult  it  is  to  perfuade  young 
perfons  of  eafy  tempers  and  warm  affections,  of  the  dan- 
ger of  afibciating  with  profligates.  We  reckon  it  hard 
that  you  will  not  believe  that  they  are  worthlefs,  upon 
our  teilimony  ;  but  mufl  learn  it  from  your  own  fatal  ex- 
perience. Believe  it,  there  is  no  true  friendfliip  but  what 
is  founded  on  the  principles  of  piety  and  virtue  :  and  if 
you  confide  in  thofe  of  a  different  character,  you  v/ill 
fooner  or  later  be  rewarded  with  treachery  and  falfehood  : 
and  indeed,  the  fooner  the  better ;  for  their  friendfhip  is  infi- 
nitely more  hurtful  than  any  effefts  oftheirdifpleafure.  Again 
therefore,  let  me  befeech  the  younger  part  of  my  audience, 
v/ho  have  not  yet  themfelves  thrown  off  all  regard  to  de- 
cency, to  give  up  all  friendfhip  with,  and  avoid  the  fo- 
ciety,  of  thofe  v/ho  have.  It  is  ufually  a  hard  facrifice,  I 
confefs  ;  but  neceffary  to  your  prefervation  from  the  moft 
deib-u6tive  courfes.  What  fignifies  the  fcorn  or  refent- 
ment  of  a  fevv^  hardened  wretches,  compared  to  the  peace 
of  your  ov/n  minds,  the  heart-felt  pleaiure  you  will  give 
to  every  real  friend,  your  comfort  and  happinefs  in  this 
life,  and  the  well  grounded  hope  of  a  bleffed  immortality  ? 

2.  Let  me  flionly  addrefs  myfelf  to  parentn,  or  others 
who  are  intruiled  with  the  education  of  youth.     And,  oh 


to  Toung  Persons.  cqi 

tliat  I  could  make  you  fcnfible  of  the  importance  and  difli- 
culty  of  your  charge  !  There  arc  many  dh-eftions,  which 
might  be  given  you  with  rcfpedl  to  education  ingeneral ;  but 
I  choofe  to  confine  my  thoughts  at  prefent  to  what  is  fuegeft- 
cd  by  the  occafion  and  fubjedt  of  this  difcourle.  Let  it 
therefore  be  your  care,  to  preferve  your  children,  as  much 
as  pofTible,  from  the  company  and  converfation  of  profane 
perfons,  efpecially  thofe  \v!io  arc  tainted  with  infidelity  : 
and  who,  as  its  natural  confequence,  treat  the  cxercifes  of 
piety  with  contempt  and  fcorn.  To  fufier  this,  when  you 
can  hinder  it,  is  treating  their  fouls  in  the  fame  manner, 
as  you  would  do  their  bodies,  if  you  placed  dofes  of  fweet- 
ened  poifon  in  every  corner  of  the  houfe.  You  will  dai- 
ly perceive  how  children  are  formed  by  imitation,  in 
tlieir  temper  and  manners  :  they  mufl;  bear  a  refeniblance 
to  thofe  from  whom  they  receive  their  firil  impreflTions ; 
but  if  this  is  the  cafe  in  general,  how  much  more  mull: 
they  embrace  the  principles,  and  imatate  the  pradtice  of 
their  companions  in  pleafure  ? 

This  caution  is  fo  neceflary,  that  where  counfel  and  in- 
treaty  are-  not  fufiicicnt  to  procure  compliance,  authority 
ought  to  be  interpofed.  Mere  authority  indeed  will  be 
very  ineffectual ;  and  therefore,  I  mufl  particularly  recom- 
mend to  you  an  early  attention  to  your  children's  opi- 
nion and  judgment :  they  foon  form  a  judgment,  and  will 
give  early  marks  of  approb?.tion  and  averfion  of  perfons 
and  characters.  Do  your  utmofl:  to  make  them  efieem 
religion,  as  the  greateft  happinefs  to  every  perfon,  and 
the  mod  amiable  part  of  every  chara<^er.  ]^Iake  them 
fenfible,  from  your  conduct,  that  it  is  not  only  your  finccrc 
choice,  but  greatell  delight.  It  is  very  fiital  to  them,  when 
tiiey  are  led  to  look  upon  it  as  a  burden  and  confi:raint. 
Habituate  them  early  to  confider  all  other  qualities  as  good 
for  nothing,  when  piety  is  wanting ;  and  a  perfon  of  a 
truly  Chriltian  converfation  as  worthy  of  the  highcfi:  ef- 
teem,  v/hatever  be  his  fiation  or  circumftances  in  other 
refpeifls.  Remember  it  makes  a  part  of  the  charadier  of 
a  good  man,  as  drawn  by  the  pfalmill  David  ;  Plalm  xv.  4. 
"  In  whefe  eyes  a  vile  perfon  is  defpifed,  but  he  honorcth 
"  them  that  fear  the  Lord,"     lam  perfuadcd,  that  many, 

Vol.  II.  1  R 


502  Seasonable  Jdvke 

who  truly  fear  God  themfelves,  are  inadvertently  guilty 
of  a  great  miftake  in  this  particular :  they  difcover  un- 
happily too  much  of  their  admiration  or  envy  of  the  na- 
tural advantar^es  of  odiers,  independent  of  their  moral 
charatler.  Drefs,  furniture  and  wealth,  are  looked  upon 
asdiiiinguifliing  advantages;  and  children  are  often  fuf- 
fcred  to  indulge  themfelves  in  mockery  and  derifion; 
even  where  deformity,  poverty,  aukwardnefs,  and  things 
perfectly  innocent  in  themfelves,  are  the  only  objeds  of 
their  fcorn.  Intelleftual  abilities  alfo,  comprehenfion  of 
mind,  and  fprightlinefs  of  fancy,  are  commonly  much 
the  objefts  of  efleem ;  and  young  perfons  are  infenfibly 
led  to  admire  thefe  natural  qualities,  without  at  all  con- 
lidering  to  what  purpofes  they  are  applied.  This  muft 
neceffarily  have  a  fatal  efFed;  and  therefore  parents 
fhould  endeavor,  as  much  as  poffible,  to  preferve  upon 
their  own  minds,  and  infpire  their  children  with  an  cf- 
teem  of  true  piety,  and  a  horror  and  averfion  at  a  vicious 
character,  whatever  advantage  may  happen  to  accompa- 
ny it. 

If  due  care  is  taken  betimes  in  this  refpe£l,,  I  am  per- 
fuaded  it  v,^ill,  in  a  great  meafure,  prevent  the  danger 
arifuig  from  the  example  or  fohcitation  of  the  patrons  of 
impiety.  Their  chief  fuccefs  depends  on  their  real  cha- 
racter's lying  concealed,  till  it  is  fafe  and  proper  to  avow 
it.  They  inftill  the  principles  of  irreligion,  as  a  wife 
man  would  do  the  moft  facred  truths,  by  litde  and  little, 
as  their  difcipies  arc  able  to  bear  them,  and  always  do  it 
under  the  difguife  of  pleafure.  There  is  nothing  more 
different  than  the  converfation  and  carriage  of  a  libertine, 
in  the  prefence  of  thofe  of  whom  he  Hands  in  awe,  and 
among  his  feleft  companions  ;  and  even  thefe  laft  are  but 
gradually  initiated  into  tlie  concluding  and  horrid  myfle- 
ries  of  profanity  and  blafphemy.  Young  minds  therefore 
fhould  be  early  formed  to  fuch  a  tafle,  as  to  look  for  piety 
and  virtue,  before  they  will  give  their  approbation  or  af- 
fection to  any  human  accomplilhments.  Were  this  the 
cafe,  they  would  not  be  fo  often  betrayed  by  fpecious  ap- 
pearances, and  drawn  in,  by  degrees,  firfL-,,to  fuffer;  then, 
to  imitate ;  and,  at  laft,  to  delight  in  the  mofl  vicious 
practices. 


id  Toun^  Persons,  503 

"While  I  am  giving  you  thefe  dire<5lIons,  I  cannot  help 
obfcrving,  that  you  may  fee  the  great  neceffity  of  wllcloni 
and  prudence  in  the  religious  education  of  children.  Ap- 
ply yourfelves  to  it  with  diligence.  It  is  an  extenfive  and 
difficult,  but,  at  the  fame  time,  a  noble,  ufeful,  delightful 
ftudy.  "  And  if  any  man  lack  vvifdom,  let  him  afk  of 
*'  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth 
"  not." 

I  fhall  now  clofe  this  difcourfc  with  a  few  words  to  pro- 
feffing  Chriftians  in  general. 

My  brethren,  when  vice  rears  up  its  head,  and  appears 
with  infolence  and  boldnefs,  as  it  will  certainly  afle^l  every 
good  man  with  concern,  fo  it  is  of  great  importance 
what  treatment  it  meets  with  from  the  public.  If  it  pafTes 
without  notice,  we  may  conclude,  that  corruption  hath 
deeply  infedted  the  whole  mafs.  If  men  are  afraid  or 
afliamed  to  exprefs  their  indignation  at  it,  v/e  may  con- 
clude the  confpiracy  is  formidable ;  and  that  the  intereft 
of  truth  and  piety  is  greatly  on  the  decline.  There  are 
many,  who  in  cafes  of  grofs  fcandal,  rather  choofe  to  keep 
themfelves  at  eafe,  by  forbearance  and  indulgence  to  the 
guilty,  than  run  the  hazard  of  provoking  their  refentment 
by  an  honefl:  declaration  of  their  real  fentiments.  Nor  is 
it  feldom  to  be  obferved,  that  the  very  perfons  who  do 
leaft  in  their  own  fphere,  for  Hemming  the  tide  of  profani- 
ty, are  the  firfl  and  loudcft  in  complaining  of  the  negligence 
of  magiftrates  or  paftors,  in  intiidling  public  punilhinents 
or  cenfures. 

Whilfl:,  therefore,  I  am  endeavoring,  in  fome  meaaire, 
to  difcharge  my  own  duty,  I  mufi:  alfo  put  you  In  mind  of 
yours.  It  is  evidently  the  duty  of  all  who  profefs  to  fear 
God,  to  abftain  from  the  fociety  of  thofe  who  are  grofsly 
profane,  without  difcovering  any  {ttn'it  of  penitence  or 
forrow.  The  truth  is,  I  ought  radier  to  make  this  a  mark 
of  true  religion,  and  affirm,  that  all  good  men  will  do  fo  ; 
than  inform  them  that  they  flioukl.  There  muft  be  a  like- 
nefs  of  difpofition  among  familiar  friends.  Had  }'0u  that 
abhorrence  of  impiety  that  you  ought  to  have,  you  v/ould 
count  the  fociety  of  impious  perlbns  a  ftain  and  reprorxh  to 
your  own  charafters.     Of  this  I  am  able  to  give  a  very 


504  Seasonable  Advice 

ftrong,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  a  plain  and  familiar  proof. 
Were  any  perfon  known  to  be  guilty  of  theft  and  dif- 
honefly,  or  any  fault  that  is  odious  and  difgraccful  in  the 
world,  every  one  would  reckon  his  intimate  companions 
almoft,  if  not  to  the  fame  degree,  abandoned  as  him- 
felf.  The  fame  thing  will  certainly  hold  as  to  profanity 
or  licentioufnefs ;  though  indeed  it  carries  in  it  a  melan- 
choly proof,  that  fms  againft  piety  or  purity  are  far  from 
being  held  in  the  fame  abhorrence,  as  what  endangers  our 
fubftance  or  temporal  intereft.  I  muft,  however,  here 
beg  of  you,  to  attend  to  a  fmgular  and  very  ftrong  paf- 
fage  of  the  epiftle  to  the  Romans.  The  apoftle  Paul  clofes 
his  defcriprion  of  the  profane  world  in  the  following 
terms  :  Ptom.  ii.  32,  "  Who  knowing  the  judgment  of 
"  God,  (that  they  which  commit  fuch  things  are  worthy 
*'  of  death)  not  only  do  the  fame,  but  have  pleafure  in 
"  them  that  do  them."  I  have  looked  into  the  original, 
and  find  the  words  juflly  tranflated ;  and  you  fee,  from 
the  conftruftion  of  the  fentence,  the  apoftle  reprefents 
having  pleafure  in  fenfual  and  wicked  men,  as  implying 
a  depravity  of  charadter  fuperior  even  to  that  of  fenfuality 
itfelf. 

But  as  aflbciating  with  the  profane  is  a  mark  of  profani- 
ty, fo  every  degree  of  countenance  given  to  them,  by  per- 
fons  of  entire  character,  is  afenfibleinjury  to  the  public. 
It  ferves  to  put  honor  upon  vice,  and  in  part  to  deliver  it 
from  that  jull  reproach  which  ought  to  be  the  punifhment 
of  the  guilty,  and  a  warning  to  others  not  to  tread  in  their 
ileps.  I  have,  on  feveral  occafions,  obferved  that  the  pre- 
fent  period  or  ftate  of  things,  in  this  place  and  congrega- 
tion, demands  the  greateft  concern  for  the  public  intereft 
of  religion.  Grov/ing  in  numbers,  and  growing,  I  hope, 
in  wealth,  as  the  effe<!l  of  your  own  and  your  fathers  in- 
duftry,  you  are  in  danger  of  the  introdu6t:ion  of  a  worldly 
fpirit  by  the  rifmg  generation.  This  every  good  man 
ought,  with  the  utmoft  prudence  and  refolution,  to  oppofe; 
particularly  by  doing  all  in  his  power  to  preferve  the  ho- 
nor and  refpect  due  to  true  religion,  and  treating  with 
contempt  every  open  enemy  to  that  important  intereft. 
I  lincerely  wifti  you  improved,  and  poftelfed  of  every  ac- 


to  Young  Persons.  505 

complifliment  that  is  truly  valuable ;  but  beware  of  that 
falfe  politcnefs,  which  confifts  in  little  elfe  than  an  oppo- 
fition  to  religion  and  fobriety.  And,  indeed  I  am  afraid 
we  fliall  not  foon  attain  to  any  other;  at  Icafl,  not  by  the 
help  of  thofe,  who  as  they  fet  religion  ;it  defiance,  fo  arc 
equally  ftrangcr?  to  that  elegance,  and  {t\\{(t  of  decency 
which  diflinguiflies  perfons  of  higher  rank. 

The  late  riotous  meeting  was  without  doubt   the   mof}: 
audacious  thing  of  the  kind  that  ever  was  attempted  in 
this  place  ;  and  therefore  calls  for  an   open  and  vigorous 
teftimony  againfl  it,  by  every  perfon  in   his  fpherc.     Re- 
gard  for  the  glory  of  God,  love  to  the  fouls  of  men,  and  fo- 
licitude  for  the  rifmg  generation,   confpirc  in    rcquirino- 
you  to  exert  yourfelves  in  fuch  a  caufe  :   and   fhall  I   not 
add,  compaffion  to  the  perfons   themfelves  ?  Their  worft 
enemies  are  thofe  who  treat  them  with  indulgence,  fo  long 
as  they  continue  to  juftify  or  to   palliate    their   offence. 
Nothing  ferves  to  harden  fmners  more,  than  when  no  no- 
tice is  taken  of  their  crimes  ;   and  they    find  themfelves 
juft  as  generally,  and  as  well  received,  as  if  they  had  done 
no  evil.     On  the  other  hand,  when  they  perceive  the  deep 
concern  of  others  on  their  account,  it  is  an  excellent  mean 
of  bringing  them  to  ferious  reflcftion,  and  inducing  them 
to  tremble  at  themfelves.   Wherefore,  my  beloved  liearei-s 
let  me  befeech  you  to  preferve  your  horror  of  fin,   not- 
withflandingthe  boldnefs  of  fmners.     Do  every  thinrr  in 
your  never  to  reclaim  the  offenders.     Be  er.rneft  in  your 
fupplications  to  almighty  God,  that  he  would  fnatch  them 
as  brands  from  the  burning,  and  raifc  tlicm  up  as  trophies 
of  his  viftorious  grace.     But  v\-hile  they  continue  in  their 
enmity  to  God,  forget  not,  on  your  own  account,  the  apof- 
tolic  counfel  ;  "  have  no    fcllowfliip  with    the   unfruitful 
"  works  of  darknefs,  but  rather  rej)rove  them." 


C   507   ] 


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DEVOTEDNESS    to    GOD, 


SERMON. 


JPsALM   CXVi.    16. 


Oh  Lordy  truly  I  am  thy  scriiant ;  I  am  thy  servant ^ 
and  the  son  of  thine  handmaid :  thou  hast  loosed  my 
b^nds, 

action  sermon, 
My  Brethren, 

THERE  is  fomething  fo  fervent  and  affe6lionatc  in 
the  language  of  the  man  after  God's  own  heart,  that 
it  is  extremely  proper  to  be  adopted  by  us  in  ads  of  ado- 
ration, truft,  or  fupphcation  to  God.  I  am  at  a  lofs  to  de- 
termine, whether  we  ought  to  confider  the  Chriflian's  ac- 
cefs  to  God,  at  his  holy  table,  chiefly  under  one  or  other 
of  thefe  views,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  is  a  fort  of 
compound  or  union  of  the  whole.  Veneration  and  wor- 
fhip  of  the  eternal  God,  and  the  incarnate  Redeemer,  ex- 
hibited to  us,  and  as  it  were  brought  near  to  us  by  the  lielp 
of  the  inftituted  figns.  Reliance  and  confidence  in  God, 
from  the  opportunity  given  us  of  laying  hold  of  his  cove- 
nant. And  thankful  fupplication  to  God  for  his  fupport 
and  countenance,  in  the  furrender  of  ourfelves  to  his  fer- 


5oS  Dcvotedness  to  God. 

vice.  I  cannot  help  looking  upon  the  words  of  the  Pfalm^ 
ift  in  this  paiTage,  as  carrying  in  them  a  mixture  of  ail 
thefe  holy  affeftions.  "  Oh  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy  fer- 
*'  vant ;  I  am  thy  fervant,  and  the  fon  of  thine  handmaid. 
"  Thou  haft  loofed  my  bonds  :  I  will  offer  to  thee  the  fa- 
*"  crifice  of  thankfgiving,  and  will  call  upon  the  name  of 
"  the  Lord." 

This  Pfalm,  of  which  David  is  univerfally  admitted  to 
be  the  author,  feems  plainly  to  have  been  compofed  after 
fome  fignal  deliverance,  of  which  the  remembrance  was 
frefli  upon  his  mind.  It  was  fuch  as  had  brought  his  life 
itfelf  into  the  mod  imminent  danger.  He  acknowledges 
in  the  verfe  preceding  the  text,  the  peculiar  and  gracious 
care  which  God  takes  of  the  life  of  his  people  :  "  Precious 
"  in  the  fight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  faints  ;"  and 
then  makes  the  profeffion  of  relation,  gratitude,  and  duty, 

contained  in  the  words  of  the  text. As  they  feem  to 

me  to  be  very  comprehenfive,  and  with  great  propriety  to 
exprefs  what  ought  to  be  the  habitual  temper  of  a  Chrif- 
tian,  and  the  frame  of  fpirit  with  which  a  communicant 
ought  to  draw  near  to  God  at  his  table  ;  I  fhall  endeavor, 
,in  dependanceon  divine  grace, 

L  To  open  the  import  of  the  Pfal mill's  declaration  and 
purpofe. 

II.  To  apply  it  to  you  as  hearers  of  the  Gofpcl  in  ge- 
neral, as  v\^ell  as  with  a  view  to  the  facred  employment 
immediately  before  you. 

Firft,  then,  I  propofe  to  open  the  import  of  the  Pfalmift's 
declaration  and  purpofe  in  the  text.  This  I  think  may 
be  included  in  the  following  particulars,  to  which  I  intrcat 
your  ferious  attention. 

I.  This  expreffion  of  the  king  of  Ifrael,  implies  a  very 
humble  fenfe  of  his  diftance  from,  and  dependance  upon 
God,  as  his  creature.  Tiiis  is  the  firil:  view  v/hich  a  peni- 
tent liadi  of  himfelf  when  he  returns  to  God.  It  is  the 
firii:  view  which  a  good  man  hath  of  himfelf  in  his  ap- 
proaches to  or  communion  v/ith  God.  And  indeed  it  is 
what  ought  to  be  infeparable  from  the  exercife  of  every 
other  pious  affeftion.     To  have  as  it  v/ere  high  and  ho- 


Devotediicss  to  God.  50^ 

norable  thouglils  of  the  majcHy  and  greatnefs  of  llie  living 
God,  and  a  deep  and  awRd  imprelFion  of  the  immediate 
and  continual  prefence  of  tiie  heart-fcarciiing  God.  This 
naturally  produces  the  greatefl  felf-abafement,  and  the 
moil  unfeigned  fubjeftion  of  fpirit,  before  our  Maker.  It 
leads  to  a  confeflion  of  him  as  Lord  over  all,  and  havino- 
the  mofl:  ab folate  right  not  only  to  the  obedience,  but  to 
the  difpofal  of  all  his  creatures.  I  cannot  help  thinking 
this  is  conveyed  to  us  in  the  language  of  the  Pfalmif[-, 
when  he  fays,  "  O  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy  fsrvant.'*  He 
was  a  prince  among  his  fubjcds,  and  had  many  other  ho- 
norable didiniSlions,  both  natural  and  acquired,  among 
men ;  but  he  was  fenfible  of  his  being  a  fervant  and  fub- 
je61;  of  the  King  of  kings  ;  and  the  force  of  his  cxprefTion, 
"  truly  I  am  thy  fervant,"  not  only  fignifies  the  certainty 
of  the  thing,  but  how  deeply  and  flrongly  he  then  felt  a 
convidlion  of  the  truth. 

Suffer  me  to  fay,  my  brethren,  that  there  is  much  more 
in  this,  than  many  apprehend.  The  fcripture  fpeaks  often 
of  the  knowledge  of  God,  of  a  difcovery  of  the  glory  of 
God,  as  a  thing  peculiar  to  his  people,  v/hich  is  very  dif- 
ferent from  merely  fpeculativo  opinions  as  to  his  nature 
and  perfeftions.  It  implies  an  awful  imprelTion  of  his 
power  and  grcatnefs,  a  deep  fenfe  how  little  the  creature  is 
before  him,  and  how  entirely  it  is  in  his  hand.  I  love 
that  expreffion  ufed  by  feveral  pious  writers  of  the  lafl  age, 
of  bowing  before  the  fovereigniy  of  God.  When  a  be- 
liever or  a  worlhipper  hath  a  proper  view  of  this  ;  when  it  is 
brought  home  upon  his  fpirit ;  it  as  it  were  baniffies  all 
other  things,  all  other  relations,  all  other  perfons  ;  and  he 
is,  to  his  apprehenfion,  alone  in  the  prefence  of  the  invifi- 
ble  God.  And  tlien  what  abafement  of  foul  is  of  neceffity 
produced  !  then  no  language  can  be  found  fufficient  to  cx- 
prefs  his  vilenefs  and  nothingnefs  in  his  own  fight.  He 
maybe  a  rich  man  amonghis  poor  neighbors,  or  a  great  man 
among  his  numerous  attendants,  or  a  learned  man  among 
the  ignorant  vulgar ;  but  alas,  he  is  no  more  than  fniful 
duH:  and  afhes  before  the  omnipotent  Jehovah.  There  is 
fomething  very  magnificeut  in  the  defcription  given  by 
the  prophet  Ifaiah  of  the  majefty  of  God,  and  the  con-ef- 

Vol.  IL  3  S 


510  Devotedness  to  God. 

pondent  fentiments  of  thofe  who  fee  and  feel  it,  in  tlic 
2d  chapter  of  his  prophecies,  verfe  10,  11.  "  Enter  into 
*'  the  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  diift,  for  fear  of  the  Lord^ 
"  and  for  the  glory  of  his  majcfty.  The  lofty  looks  of 
*'  man  lliali  be  humbled,  and  the  haughtinefs  of  men  fliall 
*'  be  bowed  down,  and  the  Lord  alone  fliall  be  exalted  in 
*'  that  day."  And  again  verfes  19,  20,  21,  22.  "  And 
*'  they  ftiall  go  into  the  holes  of  the  rocks,  and  into  the 
"  caves  of  the  earth,  for  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  for  the  glory 
*'  of  his  majefty,  when  he  arifeth  to  f hake  terribly  the 
"  earth.  In  that  day  a  man  ihall  caft  his  idols  of  filver, 
*'  and  his  idols  of  gold,  which  they  made,  each  one  for 
"  himfelf  to  v/orfhip,  to  the  moles  and  to  the  bats :  to  go 
"  into  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  and  into  the  tops  of  the  rag- 
"  gedrocksj  for  fear  of  the  Lord, and  for  the  glory  of  his  ma- 
"  jeily,  when  he  arifeth  to  Ihake  terribly  the  earth.  Ceafe 
*'  ye  from  man,  whofe  breath  is  in  his  noilrils  :  for  where- 
*'  in  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?" 

2.  This  declaration  of  the  Pfalmifl  implies  a  confef- 
fion  of  his  being  bound  by  particular  covenant  and  confent 
unto  God,  and  a  repetition  of  the  fame  by  a  new  adhe- 
rence. This,  as  it  was  certainly  true  with  regard  to  him, 
having  often  dedicated  himfelf  to  God;  fo  I  take  it  to  be 
concluded  on  the  reiteration  of  the  expreffion  here,  '*  Oh 
"  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy  fervant,  I  am  thy  fervant."  As  if 
he  faid,  '  Oh  Lord,  it  is  undeniable  ;  it  is  impoflible  to  re- 

*  cede  from  it.    I  am  thine  by  many  ties.     I  am  by  nature 

*  thy  fubjeft  and  thy  creature  ;  and  I  have  many  times 

*  confell'ed  thy  right,  and  promifed  my  own  duty.'  I  need 
not  mention  to  you,  either  the  examples  in  the  Pfalmift's 
writings,  or  the  occafions  in  his  hiftory,  on  which  he  fo- 
lemnly  furrendered  himfelf  to  God.  It  is  fufFicient  to  fay, 
that  it  was  very  proper  that  he  fliould  frequently  call  this 
to  mind,  and  confefs  it  before  God,  as  what,  though  it 
could  not  make  his  Creator's  right  any  llronger,  would 
certainly  make  the  guilt  of  his  own  violation  of  it,  fo  much 
the  greater.  It  was  certainly  alfo  a  repetition  of  thofe  en- 
gagements, and  a  folemn  promife  of  continued  adherence 
to  them.  There  is  no  appearance  in  his  language,  that  he 
either  regrets  or  repents  his  fubjeftion  to  God ;  on  the  con- 
trary, he  manifefts  his  deliberate  approbation  of  it,  as  his 


Devotedness  to  Cod.  511 

intcrefl:  as  well  as  duty.  What  he  fays  here  to  God,  has 
Ibniething  of  the  fame  meaning  with  what  he  ia}'s  elfe- 
where  to  his  own  foul.  Pfal.  xvi.  2.  "  O  my  foul,  thou 
"  haft  faid  unto  the  Lord,  thou  art  my  Lord."  And  he 
afterwards  exprcfTes  the  greatefl:  complacency  in  this 
choice,  verfes  5,  6,  of  the  above  Pfahn,  "  The  Lord  is  the 
"  portion  of  mine  inheritance,  and  my  .cup  :  thou  main- 
"  taincft  my  lot.  The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  plea- 
"  fant  places  ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage." 

I  take  it  to  be  very  natural  for  pious  pcrfons  to  look 
back  upon  their  former  engagements  to  God.  It  is  a  part 
of  the  worfhip  they  owe  to  him,  not  only  to  glorify  liiui 
as  God,  but  to  adhere  to  him  as  their  God.  It  comes  in 
with  propriety  as  a  part  ofconfeflion  of  praife,  and  of  ho- 
ly rcfolution.  It  humbles  the  fpirit  under  a  fenfe  of  fm, 
as  a  breach  of  promife,  as  well  as  duty.  It  is  matter  of 
praife  that  we  have  been  inclined  and  enabled  to  give  our- 
felves  to  God,  according  to  the  beautiful  fentiment  of  Da- 
vid, who  gives  thanks  to  God,  that  he  and  his  people  had 
been  enabled  to  make  fuch  free  and  liberal  contributions 
tothe  buildingof  the  Temple  i  Chron.  xxix.  13,14.  "•  Now 
*'  therefore,  our  God,  we  thank  thee,  and  praife  thy  glo- 
"  rious  name.  But  who  am  I,  and  what  is  my  people,  that 
"  we  lliould  be  able  to  offer  fo  willingly  after  this  fort  ?  for 
"  all  things  come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given 
"  thee."  It  is  alio  plainly  a  part  of  our  new  engagement 
which  is  no  more  than  a  ratification  of  what  we  have  often 
and  willingly  done  before. 

3.  This  declaration  of  the  pfalmift  is  an  exprefiion  of 
his  peculiar  and  fpecial  relation  to  God,  "  I  am  thy  fer- 
"  vant  and  the  Son  of  thine  handmaid."  There  is  ano- 
ther paflage  of  his  writings,  where  the  fame  expreflion  oc- 
curs, Pfalmlxxxvi.  16.  "O  turn  unto  me,  and  have  mercy 
*'  upon  me,  give  thy  llrength  untothy  fervant,andfave  the 
"  fon  of  thine  handmaid."  There  is  fome  variation  in- 
deed among  interpreters  in  the  way  of  illullrating  tlus 
plirafe.  Some  take  it  for  a  figurative  way  of  aflirming 
tiiat  he  was  bound  in  the  ftrongeft  manner  to  God,  as 
thofe  children  who  were  born,  of  a  man  fcrv.mt,  and  bori> 
in  his  own  houfe,  are  in  the    moll  abfolutc  man.acr  his 


512  Drootedness  to  God. 

property.  Others  take  it  to  fignify  his  being  not  only- 
brought  up  in  a  vifible  church  of  God,  but  in  a  pious  fami- 
ly, andeducatedinhis  fear  :  and  others  would  have  it  to 
fignify  ftill  more  efj^ecially,  that  the  pfahiiift's  mother  was 
an  eminently  pious  woman.  And  indeed  I  do  not  think 
that  was  a  circumftance,  if  true,  either  unworthy  of  him, 
to  remember,  orofthefpirit  of  God,  to  put  uponrecord.  In 
the  New  Teftament,  we  find  the  apoftle  Paul,  taking  no- 
tice of  a  fimilar  circumllance  in  the  cafe  of  Timothy,  2 
Tim.  i.  5.  When  I  call  to  remembrance  the  unfeigrxcd 
"  faith  that  is  in  thee,  &c."  Without  determining  pre- 
cifely  in  what  fenfe  to  take  the  words,  it  is  certainly  ad- 
julled  here  to  fignify  fome  peculiar  and  intimate  relation 
to  God,  which  laid  him  under  the  ftrongefi;  ties  of  adhe- 
rence and  fubjedion. 

As  there  was  much  beauty  and  propriety  in  the  pfalm- 
ifts  mentioning  this  circumftanee,  fo  every  pious  perlon 
ought  efpecially  in  the  Lord's  fupper,  to  recollect  the  pe- 
culiar relations  he  flands  under  to  God.  Even  as  mem- 
bers of  the  vifible  church  we  are  the  fervants  of  God,  born 
in  his  houfe,  baptized  in  his  name,  favored  with  the 
light  of  the  gofpel,  blefied  v/ith  clearnt^fs  and  fuilnefs  of 
inflruftion,  animated  by  eminent  and  fhining  examples. 
As  many  as  have  been  brought  u]")  eitlier  as  children  or 
lervants  in  pious  families,  feparated  from  the  folicitations, 
and  fheltered  from  the  infults  of  wicked  men;  careful  in- 
flruftion,  regular  government,  faithful  admonition  and 
kind  invitation,  laid  as  it  were  a  flrict  and  powerful  con- 
flraint  upon  them,  brought  them  into,  and  kept  them  in 
the  paths  of  piet}--  and  truth  :  ought  they  not  to  remem- 
ber it  with  humility  and  gratitude,  nay,  if  by  means  of  but 
one  pious  parent,  or  other  relation  had  been  brought  to 
acquaintance  with  God,  it  ought  to  be  remembered  as  lay- 
ing them  under  peculiar  ties.  To  all  which  I  fnall  only 
add,  that  if  by  the  goodnefs  of  a  gracious  God,  any  former 
means  of  inilru6lion  public  or  private,  or  fingular  difpen- 
fation  of  providence  has  been  accompanied  with  power,  it 
ought  to  be  improved  in  this  nev/  furrender  of  ourfelves  to 
God,  at  once  to  increafe  our  prefent  gratitude  and  pro- 


Dcvotedness  to  God.  513 

mote  our  future  fledfafmefs  in  the  paths   of  cbedience. 
This  lends  me  to  obfcrve, 

4.  That  the  declaration  of  the  pfalmift  implicn  a  fcnfe 
of  gratitude  for  fignal  mercies,  ''  Thou  haft  loofcd  my 
*'  bonds."  I  think  it  is  probable  that  what  he  had  in  view 
immediately  here  was,  deliverance  from  pcrfonal  af.littion, 
probably  a  dangerous  ficknefs,  threatening  immediate  dif- 
folution.  But  the  way  in  which  it  is  introduced  and  the 
ufeto  which  it  is  applied,  is  equally  fuited  to  deliverances 
of  every  kind  and  ufe,  to  all  fignal  mercies  which  v/ere 
greatly  needed  or  highly  prized.  He  al'cribes  the  ho- 
nor of  it  to  God,  he  puts  it  to  his  own  charp;e  as  a  dcl)t  due 
to  God,  and  on  this  account  propofes  a  return  of  duty  and 
gratitude  to  God.  It  were  no  difficult  matter  to  produce 
examples  ofafimilarcondudt  in  the  pfalmiO,  on  his  being 
favored  witli  remarkable  deliverances  in  his  family  from  the 
enemies  of  his  country,  from  flander  and  reproach,  or  in 
unexpe6led  honor  and  advancement,  as  was  his  from  the 
fheepfold  to  the  kingdom  of  Ifrael. 

Now  ought  not  every  good  man,  to  follow  the  exam- 
ple of  the  Plldniifi:  in  this  p^.rticular,  to  remember  and  ac- 
knowledge all  inftances  of  fignal  mercy.  There  is  fcarce- 
ly  any  perfon,  but  may  rccoileft  feveral  examples  of  thcfe 
in  the  courfe  of  their  lives.  They  may  remember  Iiow 
earneflly  they  defired  deliverance  in  the  time  of  danger, 
what  a  fenfe  of  gratitude  was  upon  their  minds,  when  the 
mercy  Mas  recent,  and  this  may  be  profitably  improved, 
for  ftrengthening  the  ties  which  they  lie  under  to  God 
their  Saviour.  This  will  have  a  double  eflecl:,  if  the  de- 
liverance was  implored  by  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  if  any 
marks  can  be  difcerned,  of  their  having  obtained  the 
fanclified  improvement  of  it.  But  above  all,  with  v/hat 
propriety  may  tlicy  adopt  the  langua>^e  of  the  Pfaimifl:,  if 
they  have  been  delivered  from  bondage  of  fpirit,  as  well 
as  fear  and  folicitude  as  to  their  outward  ftate.  And  it 
frequently  happens,  tliat  thefe  two  go  together.  It  was 
almoft  always  fo  with  the  Pfalmill:,  and  is  natural  to  ex- 
pert that  it  will  be  ib  with  eveiy  ferious  perfon  ;  for  afflic- 
tion brings  fin  to  remembrance,  and  they  not  only  trem- 
ble, for  the  ifiue  of  the  trial  under  which  tliey  groan,  but 


514  Dewtedness  to  God. 

apprehend  the  holy  difpleafure  of  that  God,  who  caft  them 
into  the  furnace,  and  with  whom  they  have  to  do.  But 
if  the  candle  of  the  Lord  again  fhineth  upon  them,  and 
they  are  walking  in  the  light  of  his  countenance,  they 
may  well  fay  with  the  Pfalmifl,  "  O  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy 
*'  fervant,  1  am  thy  fervant,  and  the  fon  of  thy  hand- 
"  maid  :  thou  haft  loofed  my  bonds." 

5.  Jn  the  lafl  place.  This  declaration  implies  a  folemn 
dedication  and  furrender  of  himfelf  to  God,  and  his  fer- 
vice  for  the  time  to  come.  This  is  the  end  of  the  retro- 
fpecl  which  he  takes  of  his  charadtcr  and  Hate,  "  I  will 
"  offer  to  thee  the  facrifice  of  thankfgiving,  and  will  call 
**  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  He  was  refolved  to  live 
a,  life  of  gratitude  to  God,  to  take  all  methods  of  openly 
and  publicly  acknowledging  him  as  the  author  of  his  mer- 
cies. If  we  would  fee  further  his  purpofe,  we  may  look 
back  to  the  8,  9,  10  ver.  "  For  thou  haft  delivered  my 
"  foul  from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet 
"  from  falling."  He  promifes  therefore  a  life  of  obedience, 
and  as  the  fource  of  thankful  truft  and  acquiefcence  in 
God,  he  feems  by  the  nth  verfe,  to  have  been  difcon- 
certed  by  difcoveringthe  treachery  of  men,  buteveiT  thing 
is  reilified  and  made  up  by  the  goodnefs  and  all-fufficiency 
of  God. 

So  my  brethren,  ought  every  perfon  who  is  this  day 
to  fet  down  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  after  a  ferious  recol- 
ledlion  of  all  his  paft  mercies,  to  devote  and  confecrate 
himfelf  unto  God.  Take  him  for  your  portion:  place  your 
happinefs  in  his  favor ;  receive  your  daily  bread  from 
him  as  his  gift;  pay  for  every  mercy  the  tribute  of  praife; 
live  not  upon  the  creature  without  God,  but  endeavor  to 
enrich  and  fweeten  created  comforts,  by  communion  with 
God  :  Refolve  to  ferve  him  with  your  body  and  fpirit 
which  are  his,  ferve  him  fincerel}'-,  refolving  that  nothing 
fliall  have  quiet  poffeffion  of  your  heart,  or  indulgence  in 
your  life,  that  is  contrary  to  his  will.  Serve  him  with 
zeal,  efpoufe  his  intereil,  plead  his  caufe,  and  efteem  it 
your  honor,  if  by  your  authority,  by  your  talents,  by  your 
fubftance,  you  can  promote  his  glory.  Put^your  truli:  in 
his  providence.     You  are  yet  in  the  body,  liable  to  all  the 


I 


Dcvdtedness  to  God.  51J; 

vlciritiides  of  this  mortal  flate.  Be  pcrfuaded  of  the  infi- 
nite wifdom,  and  all  fufiiciency  of  God.  Let  him  difpofc 
of  you  freely.  Refift  exccflive  anxiety  and  fear,  and  op- 
pofe  to  all  the  gloomy  horrors  of  a  fruitful  apprehenfion, 
the  fliield  of  faith  in  almighty  flrength,  which  is  able  to 
bear  you  up  fuperior  to  every  trial,  and  to  every  enemy. 
Do  in  every  ftate  of  difficulty  as  the  prophet  Ifaiah,  in  the 
name  of  God,  invites  the  people  of  Ifrael  to  do  on  the  ap- 
proach of  public  judgment,  Ifaiah  xxvi,  20.  "  Come,  my 
**  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  ihut  thy 
*'  doors  about  thee  :  hide  thy  fclf  as  it  were  for  a  little  mo- 
**  ment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpaft." 

I  proceed  now  in  the  lafl:  place,  to  make  fome  praftical 
improvement  of  this  fubje<5l. 

I.  Suffer  me  my  brethren  to  plead  with  every  fmner; 
to  plead  with  every  hearer  in  this  ailembly,  the  right  of 
his  Maker  to  his  fervice.  He  hath  made  arid  formed  you, 
and  his  vifitation  preferves  your  fpirits.  He  only  hol- 
deth  your  foul  in  life,  and  unto  him  belong  the  ilTues  from 
death — Of  him,  and  to  him,  and  through  him,  are  all 
things.  Have  you  therefore  ferved  him  as  your  mafter, 
and  placed  your  happinefs  on  his  favors.  I  choofe  my 
brethren  to  affert  God's  dominion  over  his  creatures,  that 
if  it  pleafe  him  to  accompany  it  with  his  fpirit,  it  may 
carry  convidlion  to  many  who  are  living  in  quiet  and 
felf  fatisfaction,  although  they  are  dead  in  trefpaffes  and 
fins.  Many,  if  they  are  free  from  groffer  corruptions, 
are  no  way  appjrehenfive  of  the  danger  of  being  iDtthout 
God  in  the  world.  Ignorance  of  themfelves,  extenuation 
of  fin,  fooliflily  placing  a  merit  in  a  few  common  outfide  du- 
ties, and  prefumptuoushopcsinGod'sgeneral mercy,  are  the 
dclufive  grounds  of  the  hope  of  fuch  perfons.  Nay,  fome- 
times,  alas  for  their  folly  !  the  chief  thing  they  have  to 
truft  to,  is  the  ill  that  they  have  not  done.  I  really  do 
not  fwear  fays  one,  I  hate  drinking  abominably,  it  is 
a  beaftly  vice.  What  fignify  thefe  partial  juftifications  I 
I  have  known,  though  it  is  not  common,  I  confefs,  an 
habitual  adulterer  that  would  not  fwear,  and  I  could  fliew 
you  a  coveteous  hard  hearted  wretch,  grinding  every  day 
llie  faces  of  the  poor,  that  will  neither  drink  nor  fwear. 


5i6  Dcviotedness  to  God. 

But  are  you  the  fervants  of  God  ?  are  you  devoted  to  his 
fear  ?  believe  it  firs,  there  is  an  abfolutc  neceffity  of  an 
entire  change  in  your  nature,  to  fit  you  for  the  kingdom 
of  God.  You  are  his  creatures,  you  ought  to  be  his  fer- 
vants, and  in  one  fenfe  indeed  his  enemies  are  his  fer- 
vants, becaufe  they  are  under  the  dominion  of  his  Provi- 
dence, and  fliall  at  laft  be  the  monuments  of  his  vengeance. 
Be  warned  then  in  time,  for  you  may  reft  aflured  that  no 
man  hath  hardened  himfeh'  againft  him,  and  profpered. 

2.  But  in  the  next  place,  I  muft  not  omit  giving  war- 
ning of  their  danger,  to  fuch  as  :are  living  in  open  and 
avovv^ed  profanity.  They  are  fo  far  from  being  the  fer- 
vants of  God,  that  they  are  his  enemies,  his  confederated 
enemies,  and  the  enemies  of  every  thing  that  ftands  in 
a  vifible  relation  to  him.  I  will  once  more  my  brethren, 
take  the  liberty  to  denounce  the  judgment  of  God,  againft 
all  fuch  perfons,  and  I  am  preaching  the  gofpel  of  Chrift, 
while  I  am  doing  fo,  for  he  fliall  be  revealed  from  heaven 
in  flaming  fire.  And  all  profane  fwearers  that  fpeak 
the  language  of  hell  on  earth,  fhall  have  it  as  their  abode 
for  ever.     All  defpifers  of  the  fabbath  of  reft. 


[  517  3 


*c  w  w%o  coco  ooeo  «nc  ocn^  ccy)  oooa  cc»  o:)oa  oooo  oooo  o"^o  com  oooo  o»oo  cot  qooo  ©••e  oooe  seco  c<io  c;c  cloo  «3ok 

Cfr3»  «MQ  0MO  oooo  OOOO  CO30  C03D  OOM  OOOU  eCTiO  COCO  CCOC  OC^X  OQf'^  ^COO  COOC  CCCO  OOao  oooo  CUDO  CC(«  C«i«  o>3«,  OkOO  OOO* 


l-HE  RIGHTEOUS  SCARCELY  SAVED,  and  the 
WICKED  CERTAINLY  DESTROYED. 


S  E  R  M  O  N. 


1  Peter  iv.  i8. 

^nd  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saDcd^  ivhere  shall  ihd 
ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ? 


ALL  mankind  may  be  divided  into  two  great  clafTes^ 
the  rif^jhteous  and  the  wicked,  the  friends  and  the 
enemies  of  God,  the  heirs  of  glory  and  the  heirs  Oi  i.ell. 
Thefe,  though  mixed  to-;"ethcr  on  earth,  and  ia  man}'  cafes 
not  eafily  to  be  didlnj^uiAied  by  men,  are  yet  eflentiaily 
dilferent  in  their  characters,  and  fhall  at  laf>  meet  with  a 
very  difTercnt  fate.  Of  how  much  moni.nl  would  it  be 
for  every  one  to  fee  his  own  characler  and  ftate  before  the 
final  feparation,  when  the  judre  fliall  divide  thciTi,  one 
from  the  other,  as  a  fliephercl  dividcth  the  fliccp  Ironi  tlie 
goats  ! 

There  are  many  awful  tolv^ns  of  divine  juuice  and 
holinefs  intl.e  adminlftration  of  Providence,  which  oi  •  ht 
to  be  confidcrcd  by  us,  as  preludes  to  the  great  day  oi  ■  e^ 
tribulior.,  when  God  fhall  render  to  every  man,  ?c  crd'ug 
to  liis  works.    The  apolllc  Peter,  in  the  vcrfes  pvcccdini^ 

Vol.  II.  3  T 


51 8  ^he  Righteous  scarcely  Saved,  Ss?f. 

the  text,  is  fpeaking  of  the  divine  judgments  which  were 
coming  upontliat  generation,  and  which  were  in  part,  to 
fall  even  upon  the  church  and  people  of  God.  From  this 
he  takes  occafion,  to  point  out  the  infinitely  greater  dan- 
ger of  impenitent  fmncrs,  who  were  expofed,  not  only 
to  the  fame  or  heavier  temporal  ftrokes,  but  to  a  final 
and  eternal  defiruftion.  verfc  17.  "  For  the  time  is  come 
"  that  judgment  muft  begin  at  the  houfe  of  God  :  and  if 
*'  it  firll  begin  at  us,  what  fliall  the  end  be  of  them  that 
*'  obey  not  the  gofpel  of  God  ?"  Confidering  alfo  that 
God  in  righteous  fevericy,  fees  it  necefiary  to  make  even 
his  own  people  to  pafs  through  the  furnace,  and  through 
much  tribulation,  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  he 
inflitutes  the  comparifon  in  the  text,  to  point  out  the  dread- 
ful flate  of  the  finally  impenitent ;  "  And  if  the  righteous 
*'  fcarcely  be  faved,  where  fliall  the  ungodly  and  the 
*'  finner  appear  ?" 

In  difcourfing  further  upon  this  fubjedt,  what  I  pro- 
pofe  is, 

I.  To  explain  the  import  of  the  declaration,  or  fuppo- 
fition,  in  the  firll  part  of  the  text,  that  "  the  righteous 
*^  fcarcely  are  favcd." 

If.  To  confider  the  conclufion  drawn  from  it,  by  the 
apoille,  "  where  Ihallthe  ungodly  and  the  finner  appear  ?" 

III.  I  iliall  make  a  pradical  improvement  of  the  fub- 
je6;  for  your  inflrudlion  and  dire6lion. 

In  the  firfl:  place  then,  I  am  to  explain  the  import  of 
the  declaration,  or  fuppofition,  in  the  firfl  part  of  the  text, 
that  "  the  righteous  are  fcarcely  faved."  There  is  the 
greater  necefiity  of  this,  that  the  exprelfion  is  both  fi;rong 
and  fingular.  There  are  many  pallages  indeed,  that  car- 
ry in  them  truths  akin  to  it,  and  founded  upon  it ;  but 
the  fentiment  itfelf,  is  almoll  peculiar  to  this  paflage,  that 
*'  the  righteous  are  fcarcely  faved."  There  are  fome, 
who  fuppofe  that  the  expreffion  is  borrowed  from,  or  al- 
ludes to  Prov.  xi.  31.  "Behold,  the  righteous  fliall  be 
*'  recompenfed  in  the  earth  :  much  more  the  wicked  and 
*'  the  finner."  The  micaning  they  give  thus  :  Even 
the  righteous  mufi:  expert  to  meet  with  fufFerings  and  ca- 


The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved^  ^c.  519 

lamlties  on  earth,  much  more,  wicked  men,  under  the 
jud  difpleafure  of  a  holy  God.  But  I  thhik  it  is  plain, 
that  tiie  apodlc  in  our  text,  has  an  eye  to  the  dec! five 
judgment  of  the  lall  day ;  for  he  fays  in  the  preceding 
verle,  "  What  fliall  the  end  be  of  them,  that  obey  not  the 
"  gofpel  of  God."  It  is  no  where  faid  in  fcripture,  that 
wicked  men  fliall  be  puniihed  in  the  prefent  life,  in  a 
manner  fully  adequate  to  their  guilt,  much  Icfs  that  a  jufl 
and  vifible  proportion,  is  to  be  obferved  between  their 
fufferings,  and  thofe  of  the  fcrvants  of  God.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  are  called  the  men  of  the  world  ;  it  is  faid, 
they  have  their  part  and  portion  in  this  life,  and  their 
profperity,  compared  with  the  trials  and  fufferings  of  good 
men,  appears  to  have  been  in  every  age,  alburce  of  temp- 
tation to  the  children  of  God. 

We  muft  therefore  underfland  the  apoftle,  as  fpeaking 
of  the  eternal  Hate,  boUi  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
in  the  correfpondent  parts  of  this  paflage.  What  then  is 
the  meaning  of  the  righteous  being  fcarcely  faved  ?  It 
cannot  mean  that  there  is  any  defeft  or  Rraitnefs  in  the 
mercy  of  God.  The  invitation  to  fumers,  in  the  gofpel, 
is  not  only  urgent,  but  full,  free,  and  infinitely  gracious. 
It  cannot  mean  that  there  is  any  defe(ft  in  the  mind  or 
power  of  our  Redeemer,  or  if  the  fecurity  of  thofe  who  put 
their  truft  in  him,  were  to  be  doubted,  or  their  victory  over 
all  the  enemies  of  their  falvation,  were  uncertain.  To  affix: 
any  fuch  meaning  to  the  words,  would  be  to  fet  them  in 
direct  oppofition  to  many  other  paflfages  of  fcripture,  and 
to  do  the  greateft  injury  to  the  divine  wifdoin  and  truth. 
In  order  therefore,  to  open  the  import  of  this  interelling 
declaration,  you  may  obferve  the  following  things  : 

I.  The  righteous  may  be  faid  to  be  fcarcely  faved,  be- 
caufe  all  are  jullly  liable  to  divine  vengeance,  and  it  is 
only  of  the  free  grace,  and  fovereign  mercy  of  God,  that 
any  are  faved.  This,  my  brethren,  is  a  truth  of  the  great- 
ell  moment,  repeated  in  almoll  every  page  of  the  facred 
oracles,  but  which  none  can  either  underlland  or  approve, 
till  they  are  effeftually  humbled  by  the  fpirit  of  God. 
It  is  however,  the  fun\  and  fubllance  of  the  gofpel.  See 
in  what  terms  it  is  defcribed  by  the  apofde  Paul,  Kph.  iU 


52 o  ^hc  Righteous  scarcely  Stncd,  ^c, 

4 — 10.  "  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
"  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 
"  in  fins,  hath  quickened  us  lot^elher  with  Chrill:  (by  gr^'ce 
*'  ye  are  faved)  and  hath  raifed  us  up  together,  and  made;, 
*'  us  fit  toi;ether  in  heavenly  places  in  Chrift  Jefus.  That 
*'  in  die  ages  to  come  he  might  fliew  the  exceeding  riches 
"  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindnefs  toward  us,  through  Chrift 
"  Jefus.  For  by  grace  are  ye  faved  through  faidi ;  and 
*'  that  nol:  of  yourfelves  ;  it  is  the  gift:  of  God  :  Not  of 
"  works,  left  any  man  Hiould  boaft  :  For  we  are  his  work- 
"  maniliip,  created  in  Chrifc  Jefus  unto  good  works, 
"  which  God  hath  berbre  ordained  that  vve  fhculd  Vv-alk  in 
"  them."  There  is  not  a  believer  on  earth,  nor  a  faint 
in  heaven,  but  who  is  ready  to  acknowledge,  that  he  was 
by  nature  an  enemy  to  God  in  his  mind  by  wicked  works  ; 
that  he  had  highly  pi^ovoked  him,  and  that  if  God  had 
dealt  with  him  in  ftrift  juftice,  he  would  have  been  for 
ever  banifned  from  his  prefence  and  enjoyment.  Probably 
many  will  recolledt  the  tim.e  of  their  ignorance  and  fecuri- 
ty,  and  admire  thepatience  of  God  tov/aids  them,  and  fee 
that  they  are  indeed  fcarcely  faved,  fmce  they  have  been 
brought  bade  from  the  very  brink  of  deil ruction.  If  any  ma- 
lefector  had  been  arraigned,  judged  2nd  condemned  to  die, 
and  after  apprehending  the  juft  puniihment  of  his  crime, 
ihould  be  faved  by  an  a6l  of  royal  clemency,  at  a  ftake  or 
on  a  fcafibid,  would  he  not  confider  himfeif  as  fcarcely 
faved.  But  this  is  no  more  than  a  juft  image  of  the  ftate 
and  views  of  a  pardoned  fmner,  and  ¥/hat  will  continue  to 
be  the  views  of  thofe  who  have  entered  into  reft.  They 
are  clothed  with  white  robes,  as  an  emblem,  not  of  inno- 
cence, but  abfolution,  and  the  fong  of  praife  v/hich  they 
fmg,  intimates  the  condition  from  Vvhich  they  were  brought^ 
Rev.  v.  9.  *■''  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to 
"  open  the  feais  thereof:  for  thou  waft  llain,  and  haft  re- 
*'•  deemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred, 
''  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  ;"  verfe  12.  "  Wor- 
"  thy  is  the  lamb  that  was  ilain,  to  receive  power,  and 
"■  riches,  and  wifdoiTi,  and  ftrength,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
^-  and  blefling." 


The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved^  ^c.  521 

This  leads  me  to  oLfcrve,  that  as  their  liilvation  is  of 
fovereign  j;race  in  the  Father's  love,  lb  it  was  purciiaied 
by  the  moll  amazinj>'  ruiieriiigs  of  their  Redeemer  in  llieir 
room.  They  are  I'carcely  laved,  not  only  iVom  the  want 
of  merit  ifi  themfelves,  but  from  the  infinite  expence  and 
coft  laid  out  by  him  for  their  redem])tion.  Such  was  the 
evil  of  I'm,  and  lb  deplorable  the  flate  of  the  finncr,  that 
the  wifdom,  truth,  and  holinefs  of  God,  feemtd  all  to  de- 
mand his  perdition.  The  whole  creation  could  not  fur- 
nifh  a  fufficient  ranfom  ;  for  the  reden:iption  of  the  foul 
was  precious,  and  it  ceafed  forever.  Then  the  eternal 
Son  of  God,  clotlied  with  infinite  mercy,  and  conveyed  in 
fovereign  power,  prefented  himlelf  as  our  Redeemer,  lay- 
ing, "  Lo,  I  come,"  &c.  O,  amazing  truth  !  Oh,  un- 
fearchable  fubje6l  ?  J'^lly  may  we  lay,  that  the  righteous 
fcarcely  are  laved,  fince  it  required  i'o  coftly  an  expiation. 
Let  us  remember  in  faith,  what  our  Saviour  endured  in 
the  garden  and  on  the  crofs,  before  he  could  fay  it  was 
finiihed ;  and  we  fhall  be  confirained  to  confefs  that  it 
was  no  eafy  undertaking  to  redeem  thole  fouls  that  were 
forfeited  to  divine  juitice. 

To  conclude  this  particular,  the  righteous  are  fcarcely 
faved,  becaufe  the  application  cf  this  redemption  to  their 
fouls,  and  their  being  brought  to  an  unfeigned  acceptance 
of  it,  required  the  almighty  power  and  energy  of  the  fplrit 
of  grace.  This  alfo  is  a  part  of  that  revealed  truth, 
which  the  natural  man  hears  with  reluctance,  and  can- 
not receive.  Yet  it  is  not  only  plainly  taught  in  fcrip- 
ture,  but  daily  ratified  in  experience.  John  i.  13.  "Which 
"  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flefli,  nor 
"  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  Without  the  power 
of  the  holy  Gholt,  the  gofpel  may  be  preached  to  finners 
from  day  to  day,  and  from  year  to  year,  and  yet  they  fliall 
continue  in  their  natural  and  miferablc  ftate. 

It  is  the  work  of  the  fpirit  to  open  the  blinded  under. 
Handing,  to  awaken  the  fecure  and  dozing  confcience, 
and  to  bend  the  llubborn  will  to  the  obedience  of  the  gof- 
pel. We  are  alfo  plainly  given  to  underftand,  that  if  a 
linner  long  refifts  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  the  confe- 
quence,  in  the  economy  of  providence,  is  frequently  that 


522  The  Righteous  scarcely  Sanjed,  ^c. 

this  divine  agent  departs  from  him,  and  ceafes  any  longer 
to  ftrive  with  him.  Every  fiich  perfon  is  left  to  himfelf, 
given  up  to  the  dominion  of  his  lulls,  and  the  enllaving 
power  of  habit ;  and  fo  fills  up  the  meafure  of  his  iniqui- 
ties, till  he  is  ripe  for  final  judgment  and  deftrudtion. 
Let  us  fcverally  confider,  that  if  fuch  provifion  was  made 
by  an  all- wife  God,  for  the  recovery  of  fuch  of  his  creatures 
as  had  fallen  by  their  iniquity,  it  could  not  be  unneceffary. 
And  furely  the  whole  of  thefe  views  confpire  in  opening 
the  meaning  and  confirming  the  truth  of  what  we  are  told 
in  this  paflage,  that  the  righteous  are  fcarcely  faved. 

2.  The  righteous  may  be  faid  to  be  fcarcely  faved,  be- 
caufe  their  number  is  but  very  fmall.  There  are  few  that  be 
faved  in  comparifon  of  thofe  that  perilh,  and  in  compari- 
fon  of  thofe  that  feek  and  pretend  to  hope  for  falvation. 

This,  if  it  be  a  truth,  is  certainly  pregnant  with  mean- 
ing, and  deeply  interefting.  I  know  there  are  fome  who 
have  no  great  love  to  any  thing  that  directly  tends  to  dif- 
turb  the  repofe  of  a  drowfy  flothful  fpirit,  who  are  fond  of 
denying  or  calling  in  queftion  this  truth.  They  allege 
that  our  Saviour  evaded  it  as  an  improper  queilion,  when 
propofed  to  him  by  his  difciples.  Luke  xiii.  23.  "  Then 
"  faid  one  unto  him,  Lord,  are  there  few  that  be  faved  ?'* 
But  truly  I  cannot  fee  how  he  could  have  anfwered  it  more 
plainly,  or  indeed  more  properly,  than  in  the  following 
words,  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  ftrait  gate  :  for  many,  I  fay 
"  unto  you,  will  feek  to  enter  in,  and  Ihall  not  be  able." 
Efpecially  if  we  compare  them  with  the  parallel  place  in 
Matth.  vii.  13.  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  ftrait  gate  :  for  wide  is 
"  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  deilrutlion, 
"  and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat." 

What  Ihall  be  the  number  of  the  redeemed  at  laft,  and 
v/hat  proportion  it  fliall  bear  to  the  whole  race  of  Adam, 
before  the  end  of  this  Hate  of  things,  it  is  impoflible  for  us 
to  know.  It  is  pleafant  to  indulge  the  hope  that  it  fhall  be 
very  great,  and  that  there  are  times  yet  to  come,  when  the 
profperity  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  fhall  be  glorious, 
and  the  triumphs  of  his  grace  perhaps  univerfal.  But 
when  we  fpeak  of  the  number  of  fuch  as  Ihall  be  faved, 
we  muft  fpeak  of  it  as  relating  to  thofe  whom  we  now  fee, 


The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved.,  ^c>  523 

and  their  charaders  as  drawn  in  tUc  oracles  of  truth.  And 
I'urely  if  we  pay  the  lead  regard  to  the  marks  of  religion 
laid  down  in  fcripturc,  we  mud  be  fenfible  what  mul- 
titudes are  living  in  diredl  oppofitlon  to  them,  and  that 
there  are  many  who  though  they  are  called  by  the  name 
of  Chrill,  and  maintain  fome  degree  of  outward  profeflion, 
yet  they  are  far  from  being  Chriltians  indeed  and  in  truth. 
Math.  vii.  21.  "  Not  every  one  that  faith  unto  me,  Lord 
"  Lord,  fhall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  but  he 
*'  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  v/hich  is  in  heaven." 

3.  When  the  apoftle  fays  that  the  righteous  fcarcely  are 
faved,  it  may  mean  that  many  make  not  only  a  common 
but  an  eminent  profeflion  of  religion,  who  yet  fhall  be 
found  finally  defedlive,  when  weighed  in  the  balance  of 
the  fanchuary.  It  may  mean,  that  not  only  the  ungodly 
and  openly  profane  fmners  fliall  be  rejected,  but  that  all 
who  feem  to  be  righteous  fliall  not  be  found  fo  upon  trial. 
This  feems  to  lead  us  to  confider  the  difference  between 
the  charitable,  general,  and  uncertain  judgment  of  man, 
and  the  fl:ri(5t,  infallible,  and  decifive  judgment  of  God. 
This  is  beautifully  reprefented  by  our  Saviour,  in  the  pa- 
rable of  the  tares  of  the  field.  Math.  xiii.  24,  and  down- 
wards ;  but  you  may  particularly  fee  what  is  fi\id  from  the 
28th  verfe.  "  The  fervants  faid  unto  him,  wilt  thou  then 
*'  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ?  But  he  faid,  nay,  lefl 
*'  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  alfo  the  wheat 
"  with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvcft : 
*'  and  in  the  time  of  harveft  I  will  fay  to  the  reapers,  ga- 
*'  ther  ye  together  fidl  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles 
**  to  burn  them  :  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  bam.'* 

There  is  a  circumltance  to  be  particularly  attended  to 
here,  that  not  only  fliall  many  deceive  their  fellow  crea- 
tures by  a  falfe  profefTion,  but  not  a  few  fliall  more  efTeClu- 
ally  and  more  fatally  deceive  themfelves,  faying  they  fliall 
have  peace  though  they  walk  after  the  imagination  of  tlieir 
own  hearts.  There  are  many  exhortations  in  fcripturc,  to 
guard  againfi:  deceiving  ourfelves;  of  which  I  fliall  only 
mention  one.  Gal.  iv.  7.  "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  rot 
"  mocked  :  for  whatfoevcr  a  man  foweth,  that  fliall  he 
**  alfo  reap."     If  our  Saviour  found  it  nece'fTary  to  fay  to 


524  ^he  Righteous  scarcely  Saved ^  ^c. 

the  twelve  whom  he  had  chofen,  "  Ye  know  not  what 
"  manner  of  fpirit  ye  are  of  ;"  much  more  may  the 
fame  thing  be  faid  to  numbers  of  profeffing  Chriftians  in 
theie  lall  days.  There  are  many  fins  that  may  adhere  to 
a  religious  profeffion,  or  be  covered  with  a  facred  veil, 
which  yet  are  inconfiilcnt  v/ith  true  religion.  See  what 
the  apoiiie  Paul  fays,  i  Cor.  xiii.  i.  "  Though  I  fpeak 
"  v/ith  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not 
"  charity,  I  am  beconie  as  founding  brafs,  or  a  tinkling 
"  cymbal."  And  the  apoftle  James  i.  26.  "  If  any  man 
"  among  you  feem  to  be  religious,  and  bridleth  not  his 
"  tongue,  but  deceiveth  his  own  heart,  this  man's  religion 
"  is  vain."  it  is  an  avvful  defcriptlon  given  us  by  our 
Saviour,  Math.  vii.  22.  "  Many  will  fay  to  me  in  that 
"  day.  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophefied  in  thy  name  ^. 
"  and  in  thy  name  have  cafl  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy  name 
"  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  will  I  profels 
"  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart  from  me,  ye  that 
"  work  iniquity." 

I  fiiall  only  add  one  evidence,  with  which  experience 
furnifliesus,  that  even  in  an  em.inent  profeffion  there  may 
be  at  bottom  no  fmcerity.  There  never  was  a  time  of 
trial  in  the  church  by  periecution  ;  but  there  were  feveral 
of  the  moft  eminent  in  Ration,  gifts  and  profeffion  who 
were  guilty  of  apoltacy,  a  fure  evidence  that  they  were 
not  found  in  the  faith,  and  a  great  lefibn  of  humiliation 
and  caution  to  us.  True  religion  bears  ail  triads,  and  it 
is  only  he  that  endureth  to  the  end  that  fliall  be  faved. 
It  is  highly  probable,  that  the  apofde  had  this  very  thing 
in  view,  in  the_  paffage  where  my  text  lies ;  for  in  the 
preceding  verfe,  he  had  been  animating  them  to  fuffer  as 
chriftians,  and  concludes  in  the  following  verfe  thus, 
"  "Wherefore  let  them  that  fuffer,  according  to  the  will  of 
"  God,  commit  the  keeping  of  their  fouls  to  him  in  well- 
*'  doing  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator." 

4.  In  the  lall  place  the  righteous  are  fcarcely  faved,  be- 
caufe  thofe  who  are  faved,  fnall  be  Kived  with  much  diffi- 
culty. That  is  to  fay,  it  will  require  the  utmoit  exertion 
of  their  care  and  vigilance.  They  may  expecl  a  conti- 
n'.ial  confii(!l  with  temptations  and  trials  from  without, 


The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved y  GjV.  525 

and  the  flirrings  of  corruptions  from  within.  There  is  no- 
thing more  contrary  to  the  fcripture  view  of  our  chriftian 
courfe,  than  to  fuppofe  it  a  ftate  of  unmolelled  quiet,  fe- 
ciirity  and  indulgence.  It  is  reprefented  to  us  by  every 
image  that  carries  in  it  the  idea  of  oppofition,  a6\ivity 
and  vigilance.  It  is  driving  Math.  7.13.  "  Enter  ye 
*'  in  at  the  llraight  gate  :  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad 
"  is  the  vv^ay,  that  Icadeth  to  deftruftion,  and  many  there  be 
**  which  go  in  thereat :"  His  contending  in  a  race,  Heb. 
xii.  I.  *'  Wherefore,  feeing  we  alio  are  compafled  about 
"  with  fo  great  a  cloud  of  witneffes,  let  us  lay  afide  every 
"  weight,  and  the  fin  which  doth  fo  eafily  befet  us,  and 
"  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  fet  before  us." 
It  is  fighting,  I.  Tim.  vi.  12.  "  Fight  theojood  fight  of  faith," 
and  it  is  reprefented  as  inceffant  labor,  Phil.  ii.  12.  "  Work 
"  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 

Indeed  when  we  confider  from  what,  and  how  many 
quarters,  we  mufi:  expect  oppofition,  this  truth  will  ap- 
pear with  the  fulleft  evidence.  Confider  the  implacable 
hatred  of  the  great  adverfiiry,  the  reproach  and  injuries 
of  wicked  men,  their  ftill  more  pernicious  example  and 
folicitation,  the  allurements  of  the  world,  in  this  fenfible 
flate,  and  the  treachery  and  deceitfulnefs  of  our  own 
hearts.  Of  the  great  danger  of  all  thefe  we  have  the 
greatefl:  reafon  to  be  convinced  from  the  confefiion  and 
teftimony  of  thofe  who  have  gone  before  us,  yet  over 
them  all  the  believer  mufl:  obtain  the  viftory,  and  fiiall 
obtain  it  in  his  Redeemer's  fi:rength.  i.  John.  v.  4  '*  For 
"  whatfoever  is  bom  of  God  overcometh  the  world :  and 
"  this  is  the  viflory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our 
"  faith." 

There  is  nothing  here  faid  contrary  to  what  the  fcrip- 
ture informs  us,  of  the  peace  and  confolation,  that  attends 
the  pra(5lice  of  true  religion.  It  is  not  faid  to  difcourage 
the  believer;  but  to  put  him  on  his  guard,  and  to  wani 
him  not  to  miflake  the  nature  and  foundation  of  that 
peace  he  is  entitled  to  expedt.  It  does  not  confifi:  in  a 
negledl  of  his  enemies,  far  lefs  in  a  confederacy  with,  or 
fubje6lion  to  them,  but  in  the  affured  profpeft,  and  growing 
evidence  of  his  vidlory  over  them.  Further,  the  inward  con- 

Vo  L.  II.  7    U 


526  The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved^  tr^* 

folat'on  of  a  Chriftian,  does  not  confiil  in  thinking  light  of 
fin,  by  excufing  it,  or  juftifying  himfelf  by  denying  it;  but  in 
unfeigned  felf-denial,  a  willingnefs  to  fee  the  evil  of  fin,  and 
taking  fiiame  to  himfelf  by  confeffing  it,  together  with 
evangelical  views  of  divine  mercy  in  the  pardon  of  it,  and 
the  promifed  ilrength  of  divine  grace  to  enable  him  to 
refiil  and  fiibdue  it. 

I  proceed  now  to  the  fecond  thing  propofed,  which 
was  to  confider  the  inference  drawn  in  the  lafl  part  of  the 
verfe,  *'  where  fhall  the  ungodly  and  the  fmners  appear  ?" 
I  need  fcarcely  tell  you,  that  the  form  of  a  queftion  ufed 
here,  is  a  very  common  figure  of  fpeech  to  fignify  their 
dreadful  fituation.  This  juft  but  very  awful  inference,  is 
intended  for  the  terror  of  thofe  who  live  in  open  ungodli- 
nefs,  and  avowed  contempt  of  divine  mercy.  Perhaps  it 
may  be  proper  from  the  context,  to  confider  a  little  the 
time  when  the  wicked  fhall  be  expofed  to  this  terrible 
danger  :  and  then  the  import  of  the  threatening  itfelf. 
As  to  the  time  when  the  difference  is  to  appear,  it  may  be, 

1.  In  a  time  of  public  calamity,  or  any  remarkable  vi- 
fitation  of  divine  fe verity.  Such  a  tim©  is  defcribed, 
Luke  xxi.  25,  26.  "  There  fliall  be  upon  the  earth  difi:refs 
"  of  nations,  with  perplexity  ;  the  fea  and  the  waves  roar- 
"  ing  ;  men's  hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking 
"  after  thofe  things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth  ;  for 
"  the  powers  of  heaven  fhall  be  fhaken."  Then  the  con- 
fcience  of  the  moft  obdurate  is  fometimes  alarmed.  I  am 
fenfible,  and  I  have  formerly  hinted,  that  good  men  have 
no  charter  of  exception  from  outward  fufferings.  But  in 
thefe  times  of  general  trial,  the  difference  between  tliem 
and  others  is  very  great.  They  have  an  anchor  of  hope 
in  the  favor  of  a  reconciled,  and  in  the  wildom  and  provi- 
dence of  an  omnipotent  God.  But  the  profane  and  un- 
godly, terrified  by  the  reproaches  of  a  guilty  confcience, 
are  made  to  tremble  through  fear  of  the  execution  of  de- 
fer ved  judgment. 

2.  In  a  time  of  perfonal  difirefs,  and  apparent  danger 
of  death.  This  important  change  is  no  light  matter,  even 
to  the  beft.  They  have  often  no  fmall  degree  of  folicitude 
and  fear,  Jis  to  the  manner  of  going  through  this  laft  and 


^he  Righteous  scarcely  Saved,  bV.  527 

dcclfive  conflI£l.  But  how  much  more  fearfiil  an  afpeft 
muft  the  king  of  terrors  wear,  to  the  impenitent  finner  ? 
when  the  charm  is  dilFoIved,  and  all  his  fmful  pleafures 
are  turned  into  wormwood  and  gall ;  when  he  fees  lie 
mud  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  every  fenfual  delight,  en- 
ter into  a  world  of  fpirits,  and  appear  in  the  prefence  of 
God.     But, 

3.  Both  thefe  are  only  preparatory  to  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. "  For  we  muft  all  appear  beiore  the  judgment-feat 
of  Chrift."  Then  his  people  fliall  lift  up  their  heads  with 
joy,  for  th.c  day  of  their  retlemption  has  arrived.  But 
with  what  inexpreflible  confulion  fhall  the  wicked  then 
be  covered  ?  In  vain  fliall  they  call  upon  the  mountains 
and  hills  to  cover  them  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb. 
Now  they  aifront  his  perfon,  oppofe  his  reign,  rcfifl:  his 
fpirit,  and  fcorn  his  fervants.  But  where  fliall  they  ap- 
pear, and  what  will  they  do,  when  the  "  Lord  Jefus  fliall  be 
"  revealed  from  heaven  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeancq 
"  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gofpcl." 

This  leads  memore  particularly  to  confidcrthe  import  of 
the  inference  in  the  text,"  If  the  righteous  fcarcel}'be  faved, 
**  where  fhall  the  ungodly  and  the  finners  appear  ?"  And 
I  think  it  plainly  carries  in  it  three  things,  that  from  the 
holinefs  and  feverity  of  God,  and  the  righteous  fcarccly 
being  faved,  we  may  learn  the  certainty,  the  grcatncls, 
and  the  jufticc  of  the  punifliment  of  impenitent  finners. 

I.  The  certainty  of  it.  That  as  the  threatenings  are 
awful,  tlie  execution  fliall  be  inevitable.  Men  are  ex- 
ceedingly prone,  from  partiality  to  thenifelves,  and  from 
the  fuggeflions  of  the  fatlier  of  lies,  to  difbelieve  the  threat- 
enings as  well  as  the  promilcs  of  God.  This  was  a  great 
part  of  the  temptation  to  the  commifTron  of  the  firfl  fin, 
Gen.  iii.  4.  "  And  the  fcrpent  faid  unto  tlie  woman,  ye 
*'  fliall  not  farely  die.'*  And  the  credit  that  was  given  to 
it  at  that  time,  has  been  continued  by  finners  in  every 
fubfequent  age.  They  are  ready  to  prefume  upon  the 
general  goodncfs  of  God,  and  to  ll.itter  thenifelves  that 
his  threatenings  fhall  be  either  wholly  remitted  or  greatly 
abated.  We  find  that  fome  men  oi'  corrupt  minds  havc 
evcn  fetthemfclves  to  reafon  afainf;  the  rl^cr  of  the  fcrii-i- 


528  The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved ^  ^c. 

ture  denunciations  againll  fm,  and  the  eternal  punilhment 
of  fmners. 

But  how  fatal  the  deiufion  ?  The  truth  of  God  is  an 
infeparable  bar  to  this  deceitful  expeftp^tion.  If.  iii.  10, 
II.  "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  it  fliall  be  well  with 
*'  him  ;  for  they  fnall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  doings.  Woe 
*'  unto  the  wicked  !  it  fnall  be  ill  with  him  ;  for  the  re- 
*'  ward  of  his  liands  fliall  be  given  him."  Pf.  1.  21,  22. 
*'  Thefe  things  hall  thou  done,  and  I  kept  filence  :  thou 
*' thoughtell  that  I  was  altogether  fuch  an  one  as  thyfelf : 
*'  but  I  will  reprove  thee,  and  fet  them  in  order  before 
*'  thine  eyes.  Now  confider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  left 
"  I  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver."  Nay, 
not  only  is  this  alTerted  in  the  word  of  God,  but  the  whole 
procedure  of  divine  Providence  ferves  to  confirm  it.  If 
the  falvation  of  the  righteous  is  with  difficulty  obtained  ; 
if  their  redemption  is  fo  dearly  purchafed  ;  if  Chrift  muft 
bleed  before  they  can  be  forgiven  :  how  iliall  the  ungodly 
be  able  to  ftand  in  the  judgment !  If  even  the  fervants  of 
God  muft  be  expofed  to  fo  many  fufferings  in  the  day  of 
trial,  what  muft  be  the  condition  of  his  enemies  in  the 
day  of  retribution  ?  If  even  the  fms  of  the  holy  muft  be 
vifited,  how  lliall  the  crimes  of  the  impenitent  pafs  unpu- 
niftied  ?  This  is  plainly  one  part  of  the  truth  contained 
in  this  pafiage  ;  and  whoever  will  deliberately  confider 
the  uniform  tenor  of  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  compare  it 
with  the  difpenfations  of  divine  Providence,  will  have 
realbn  to  tremble  at  the  dreadful  ftate  of  incorrigible 
fmners,  and  to  fay  with  the  apoftle  Paul,  Heb.  xii.  25. 
*'  See  that  ye  refufe  not  him  that  fpeaketh.  For  if  they 
**  efcaped  not  who  refufed  him  that  fpake  on  earth,  much 
"  more  fhall  not  we  efcape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
"  that  fpeaketh  from  heaven." 

2.  The  expreftion  in  the  text  implies  the  greatnefs  of 
the  punifliment  of  fmners.  It  is  indeed,  my  brethren, 
every  where  reprefented  in  fcripture  in  fuch  terms,  as 
ferve  to  convey  to  us  the  moft  dreadful  appreheniions 
of  its  weight  as  well  as  the  deepeft  conviction  of  its 
certainty.  It  is  reprefented  as  the  blacknefs  of  dark- 
nefs  forever,  and  as  a  worm  that  ftiall  never  die.     But 


The  Righteous  scarcely  Saved,  ^c.  529 

the  image  mofl  commonly  ufcd  is  fire,  which  is  tlie 
mofl  terrible  to  fenfe,  of  all  the  elements  we  have  any 
knowledge  of.  It  is  a  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and 
brimftonc  for  evermore.  Without  entering  at  all  into 
the  queftion,  how  much  is  literal,  and  how  much  figura- 
tive, in  thefe  images,  the  juft  conclufion  from  them  is, 
that  thofe  who  fliall  be  the  final  monuments  of  divine 
vengeance,  Ihall  be  in  a  (late  forrowful  and  comfortlefs  as 
darknefs,  painful  as  a  gnawing  worm,  and  dreadful  as  fire. 

This  is  alfo  manifeflly  founded  on  the  refle6tion  in  the 
text,  "  if  the  righteous  are  fcarcely  fiived  :"  if  they  iu.Tcr 
fo  much  at  prefent  by  divine  permillion  ;  if  they  luiicr  fo 
much  by  the  perfecution  of  the  ungodly,  what  a  load  of 
vengeance  awaits  the  wicked  in  the  day  of  reckoning;, 
when  he  will  recompenfe  tribulation  to  the  troublers  of  hjs 
chofen  ?  if  there  is  fo  much  holy  i'e verity,  a  necelfary  ac- 
count of  fm  even  in  the  prefent  life,  which  is  the  time  of 
divine  forbearance,  even  towards  the  children  of  God,  who 
are  the  objefts  of  his  everlalling  love,  what  fliall  be  the 
ilate  of  thofe  who  have  outfinned  die  feafon  of  his  grace, 
and  forfeited  all  title  to  his  mercy,  on  whom  he  intends  at 
once  to  glorify  his  jufiice,  and  to  magnify  his  power. 
Hear  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  2  TheiT.  i.  9.  ''  Who 
"  fliall  be  punifhed  with  everlafting  deftruftion  from  the 
"  prefence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power." 

3.  The  expreflion  in  the  text,  implies  the  jufticc  of  the 
punifliment  of  finners.  This  is  a  circumllance  always 
to  be  taken  in,  for  at  the  laft  day  he  iliall  judge  the  world 
in  righteoufnefs  by  that  man,  whom  he  hath  ordained. 
He  fliall  judge  the  world  in  righteoufnefs  and  the  people 
with  his  truth.  This  is  a  circumftance  not  only  for  the 
illullration  of  the  glory  of  God,  but  for  the  manifeflatioa 
of  the  prefent  truth.  If  the  punifliment  of  finners  were  not 
juft,  it  could  not  be  great ;  if  it  were  not  known  and  felt 
by  themfelves  to  be  juft,  it  would  not  be  intoUerable. 


C     53'     ] 


I  MO*  oo««  <>•«•  •30»  XOO  «>ao  torn  oo«o  «om  moo  co«  cooo  oooo  oooo  eoo*  vxyi  oooo  oooo  oooo  noo  o'x-s  eo»  one  < 
I  MOO  CQOO  oooo  oooe  000}  woo  ooeo  00:0  ooo*  koc  eroo  oooo  aooa  ooao  cooj  oooo  oooo  oooo  sooo  oooo  oooo  eoo*  oooo  1 


THE  SUCCESS  OF  THE  GOSPELENTIRELYofGOD, 

A 

SERMON. 


I  Corinthians  iii.  5,  6,  7. 

f0)o  then  is  Pauly  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers  by 
whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man?  I 
have  planted,  Apollos  watered ;  but  God  gave  the  in- 
crease. So  then,  neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  things 
neither  he  that  water eth  ;  but  God  that  give th  the  in- 
crease,. 


My  Brethren, 

I  HAVE  been  led  to  the  choice  of  this  fubjecl,  by  that  dif- 
penfation  of  providence,  which,  though  contrary  to  all 
human  probability,  hath  brought  me  to  this  new  charge  of 
prefiding  over  the  inflruftion  of  youth,  in  the  liberal  arts. 
I  find  alfo  that  in  the  courfc  of  my  attendance  on  it,  I 
fliall  have  frequent  opportunities  of  preaching  the  glori- 
ous gofpel  of  the  blefled  God  to  you,  of  this  con^iregation 
and  neighborhood.  Let  mc  therefore  beg  your  attention 
to  the  inflrudtive  palTlige  which  I  have  jufl  now  read,  that 
both  teachers  and  fcholars,  miniftcrs  and  hearers,  may 
preferve  a  juft  fenfe  of  their  relation  to  one   another,  and 


532  The  Success  of  the  Gospel 

the  common  relation  we  all  fland  in  to  God.  And  partU 
cularly  that  in  the  difcharge  of  our  mutual  duty  of  preach- 
ing and  hearing,  we  may  preferve  on  our  minds,  a  deep 
fenfe  of  our  dependance  on  fuperior  llrength,  and  may 
look  for  a  blelTing  from  the  Father  of  lights,  from  whom 
alone  it  can  poffibly  flow. 

The  text  of  itfelf  and  independent  of  its  connexion,  is 
fo  full  of  ufeful  matter,  that  I  am  unwilling  to  fpend  your 
time  by  a  long  deduftion  of  the  particular  circumftances  of 
the  church  of  Corinth,  which  led  the  apoftle  to  exprefs 
himfelf  in  the  language  contained  in  it.  Let  it  fuffice  there- 
fore to  obferve,  that  a  fpirit  of  pride  and  fa(^tion  prevailed 
very  much  in  that  church,  which  had  rent  them  into  par- 
ties, denominated  from  this,  or  the  other  principal  teacher 
who  was,  or  had  been  among  them.  Thus  in  the  12th 
verfe  of  the  firft  chapter,  "  Now  this  I  fay  that  every  one 
"  of  you  faith  I  am  of  Paul,  and  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of 
"  Cephas,  and  I  of  Chrift,"  and  in  the  verfe  irnmediately 
preceding  the  text.  "  For  while  one  faith  I  am  of  Paul, 
*■'  and  another,  I  am  of  Apollos,  are  ye  not  carnal." 
Poffibly  the  converts  from  among  the  Jews  counted  them- 
felves  the  difciples  of  Peter,  and  held  him  in  the  higheft 
eileem,  while  thofe  of  the  Gentiles  fupported  the  name  and 
credit  of  the  apoftle  Paul,  who  firft  planted  the  chriftian 
faith  among  the  idolatrous  heathens,  and  perhaps  others 
who  were  much  addifted  to  learning  and  philofophy,  admir- 
ed, and  extolled  the  eloquence  of  Apollos.  And  yet  after 
all,  perhaps  the  fierce  and  unchriftian  contentions  thatpre- 
vailed  in  that  church,  were  not  owing  to  their  divided  at- 
tachment to  particular  apoftles,  but  to  the  ambitious  and 
corrupt  teachers,  which  were  among  themfelves.  If  this 
was  the  cafe,  the  apoille  Paul  only  mentioned  himfelf, 
Apollos  and  Cephas,  by  way  of  fuppofition,  inftead  of  na- 
ming the  guilty  heads  ofthe  contending  parties,  that  there- 
proof  being  adminiftered  with  fo  much  prudence  and  de- 
licacy, might  be  carried  home  with  the  greater  evidence 
and  force.  This  interpretation  receives  a  good  deal  of 
countenance  from  what  we  find  in  chap.  iv.  6.  "  And 
*'  thefe  things  brethren,  I  have  in  a  figure  transferred  to 
*'  myfelf,  and  to  Apollos,  for  your  fake;  that  ye  might  learn 


Entirely  of  God.  ^j^ 

'•  in  lis,  not  to  think  of  men  above,  that  which  is  written, 
*'  that  no  one  of  you  be  pufFed  up  for  one  arainfl  another." 

Sucii  a  divifion  and  fa6lious  temper  does  infinite  mif- 
chicf  wherever  it  prevails.  It  proceeds  from  people's 
being  much  under  the  power  of  a  carnal  mind,  and  ex- 
ceedingly incrcales  carnality  by  that  envy,  firi'C,  and  dtlli- 
mulation,  which  it  alvvaj'S  produces.  But  the  chief  way 
in  which  it  hinders  the  fuccefs  oi  the  "ofpc'  is.  by  leading 
men  into  the  fatal  millake  of  feeking  or  expedlini  to  iind 
in  miniflers  what  can  only  b^  had  in  God,  or  afcribing  to 
infiruments  andfervants,  whatisdue  onlvtolhcir  Lord  and 
mailer.  Would  you  perceive  the  greatnefs  of  tliis  fm  .' 
It  is  facrcligioufly  robbing  God  of  his  own  honor  and  glo- 
ly,  in  order  to  inveft  a  weak  fmful  creature  with  tke  facred 
ipoils. 

I  only  add  one  other  preliminary  remark.  You  may 
fee  the  perfedl  confillency  and  propriety  of  the  apoftle's 
conduft,  according  to  the  different  circumftances  in 
which  he  was  engaged.  For  this  jxirpofe  we  mud  com- 
pare his  expreffions,  here  with  thofe  ufed  by  him  whtn  at- 
tempts were  made  to  leflen  his  chara6ter,  and  detra£l 
from  the  dignity  of  his  office,  as  an  apoiilc  of  Chriu.  On 
thefe  occafions  he  fliews,  that  he  knows  veiy  well  what 
belonged  to  his  llation  in  the  church,  and  is  fo  far  from 
fpeaking  of  himfclf  in  ailefled  llrains  of  humility,  tliat  he 
freel)'-  vindicates  his  own  conduft,  and  magnifies  the  ho* 
norable  truft  that  was  committed  to  him  by  his  Saviour, 
chap.  ix.  verfe  i,  2.  "  Am  I  not  an  apoftle .'  am  I  not 
"  free  ?  have  I  not  i'^^tn  Jefus  Chrill  our  Lord  ?  are  not 
*'  ye  my  work  in  the  Lord  ?  If  I  be  not  an  apollle  to 
"  others,  yet  doubtlefs  I  am  to  you  :  for  the  feal  of  mine 
"  apolllefliip  are  ye  in  the  Lord."'  Thus  theapoflle  fpeaks 
in  vindication  of  his  authority,  when  unjufily  attacked. 
But  when  the  quellion  is  changed,  and  fome  are  difpofed 
to  excel  him  or  any  other,  too  much  to  the  prejudice  of 
his  Lord  and  mailer,  he  changes  his  ftile  tco,  and  fpeaks 
in  the  humblefi:  manner  of  himfelf,  and  any  thing  he  had 
contributed  or  could  contribute  to  the  fuccefs  ofthegofpcl. 
As  a  faithful  fervant  he  could  not  endure  that  any  Ihoukl 
put  him  in  his  mailer's  place,   and  rejects  with  indigna^ 

Vol.  IL  3  X 


534  ^^^^  Success  of  the  Gospel 

tion  all  that  falfe  honor  which  flowed  only  from  the  mifl. 
takes  and  weaknefs  of  his  fellow  chriftians. 

In  tPiis  as  in  many  other  inftances,  the  occafional  di- 
veftions  given  to  the  different  chridian  churches,  in  the 
early  ages  carry  the  moll  important  and  ufeful  admonitions 
to  us  who  live  in  the  latter  days.  From  the  paiTage  be- 
fore us,  we  learn  that  miniftcrs  Ihould  confitler  themfelves, 
and  be  confidered  by  their  people,  as  entirely  fubordinate 
to  God,  and  expe<5t  aiTu'lance  in  their  labors,  and  fuccefs  in 
their  endeavors,  only  from  hlmfelf.  What  I  further  pro- 
pofe,  in  dependance  on  divine  grace,  is  firfl  to  illuftrate 
and  fup port  the  propofition  juft  now  laid  down,  and  then 
to  make  a  praftical  improvement  of  the  fubje^t,  for  your 
inllru(fti©n  and  dire6lion. 

I.  Firfi:  then,  I  am  to  illullrate  and  fupport  this  propo- 
fiiion,  That  miniflers  ought  to  confider  themfelves,  and 
to  be  confidered  by  their  people,  as  entirely  fubordinate 
to  God,  and  expe6l  aiTiftance  in  their  labors,  and  fuccefs 
in  their  endeavors  only  from  himfelf.  In  the  courle  of 
this  illuftration,  it  is  my  intention,  at  once,  to  point  out 
the  meaning  and  import  of  the  propofitlon,  and  to  eflablifh 
its  truth  from  fcripture  and  experience.  For  this  purpofe 
I  beg  your  attention  to  the  following  obfervations. 

I.  The  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  depends  wholly  upon  God, 
and  to  him  alone  mufc  the  glory  of  it  be  afcribed,  as  it  is 
he,  who  not  only  fends  and  employs,  but  who  furnijfhes 
and  qualifies  all,  whom  he  employs  for  promoting  his 
fervice.  Fie  not  only  gives  the  commiffion  to  undertake, 
but  he  imparts  the  ability  to  difeharge  the  truil.  This 
truth  is  mauifellly  included  in  the  apofde's  words,  "  Who 
"  then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  miniflers  by  whom 
*••  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man."  He 
conliders  himfelf  and  others,  only  as  minifters,  that  is,  as 
fervants  fubjetl  to  the  direction  and  authority  of  Chrilt 
their  Lord  and  mafter,  unto  whom  they  are  to  be  inftru- 
mental  in  carrying  on  the  converfion  of  finners,  and  the 
edification  and  comfort  of  believers.  This  fimilitude 
however  of  itfelf,  does  not  fully  come  up  to  the  truth  the 
apofde  would  inculcate.     A  man  v/ho  is  but  a  fervanl, 


Entirely  of  God.  535 

and  does  eveiy  thing  by  the  authority,  and  under  the  d:- 
reftion  of"  his  mailer,  may  yet  have  real  and  jufl  ;;round, 
for  valuing  himfelt"  upon  what  lie  performs  ;  in  cafe,  for  in- 
llance,  he  is  pofTefTed  of  uncommon  talents,  and  an  extra- 
ordinary capacity,  to  do  his  work  to  the  befi:  advantage.  On 
this  fuppofition,  he  is  a  treafure  to  his  niafier,  the  I'uccefs 
of  whofc  dire(?tion  may  ina  c^reat  meafure  be  afcribed  to 
the  fcrvant's  flvill  and  ability  in  the  execution.  But  to 
exclude  every  pretence  of  this  fort,  the  apoille  fubjoins 
what  brings  the  allufion  fully  up  to  his  purpofe  ;  "  even 
"  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man."  Minillers  are  not 
only  fervants,  but  their  very  capacity  and  ability  to  ferve 
God,  are  received  from  himfelf,  who  divides  to  every  man 
feverally,  as  he  will.  From  this  it  is  evident,  that  tlie  p;lo* 
ry  and  honor  of  the  whole  work,  and  the  fuccefs  of  every 
particular  fervant  employed  in  it,  is  entirely  owing  to  Chrill', 
their  great  Lord  and  raaflcr,  i  Cor.  iv.  7.  "  Lor  who 
*'  maketh  thee  to  difler  irom  another  ?  and  what  hall:  thou 
*'  that  thou  didft  not  receive  !  now  if  thou  didd  receive  it, 
"  why  dofl  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadfl:  not  received  it  ?" 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  confider  and  dwell  upon  this  truth 
a  little,  for  it  is  full  of  inflruilion,  both  to  minifters  and 
people.  That  we  may  view  it  with  the  greater  clearnefs 
and  precifion,  let  me  obferve,  that  there  are  two  diftincl 
kinds  of  qualities,  which  are  each  in  their  place,  of  great 
importance  on  the  work  of  the  minillry.  (1.)  The  en- 
dowments of  the  mind,  w^hcther  original  and  natural,  or 
acquired  by  induflry ;  thefc  laft  being  only  the  former  im- 
proved and  perfe<lted  by  education  and  exercife.  (2.) 
Holy  difpofitions,  which  are  of  the  utmoll  importance  and 
necelTity,  to  turn  the  odier  into  their  proper  channel,  and 
to  give  them  force  and  influence  in  the  application.  Now 
both  thefe  are  equally  and  entirely  the  gift  of  God,  the 
firft  being  indeed  in  fcripture  moft  commenly,  in  all  tlieir 
extent  and  diverfity,  called  gifts;  but  the  others  are  the 
effeft  of  the  gracious  and  fanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy 
Ghofr. 

(t.)  All  the  endowments  of  mind,  which  nt  a  man  for 
common  or  fpecial  fervice,  are  the  gift  of  God.  What- 
ever capacity  or  talents,  whatever  natural  advantages  of 


536  The  Success  of  the  Gospel 

any  kind,  mlnifters  enjoy,  it  is  plain,  that  they  received 
them  from  God,  and  depend  upon  him  for  the  continuance 
and  ufe  of  them.  He  only  endows  them  with  knowledge 
and  comprehenfion,  to  irnderftand  his  facred  truths  :  He 
only,  endows  them  with  the  talent  of  fpeaking  well,  and 
enables  them  to  communicate  their  knov/ledge  to  others, 
in  an  a;?;reeab]e  and  acceptable  manner,  Exod.  iv.  11,  12. 
*'  And  the  Lord  faid  unto  him,  Who  hath  made  man's 
^'  mouth  ?  or  who  maketh  the  dumb,  or  deaf,  or  the  feeing, 
*'  or  the  blind  ?  have  not  i  the  Lord  ?  Now  therefore  go, 
"  and  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach  thee  v/hat  thou 
"  fl"ialt  fay."  There  is  fomething  very  noble,  as  well  as 
inftruftive  in  thefe  paflages  of  fcripture,  v/hich  reprefent 
even  the  (kill  of  the  tradefmen  to  be  employed  in  adorning 
the  vifible  fancluary,  as  the  gift  of  God,  and  the  infpi- 
ration  of  his  fpirit.  Exod.  xxxi.  i,  2,  3,  4.  "  And 
*'  the  Lord  fpake  unto  Mofes,  faying,  fee,  I  have  called 
'''  by  name,  Bezalcel,  the  fon  of  UrI,  the  fon  of  Hur,  of 
"  the  tribe  of  Judah  :  and  I  have  filled  him  with  the  fpirit 
"  of  God,  in  wifdom,  and  in  underflanding,  and  in  know- 
"  ledge,  and  in  ^dl  manner  of  vvorkmanfhip,  to  devife 
"  cunning  w^orks,  to  work  iti  gold,  and  in  fdver,  and  in 
*'  brafs."  And  again,  Exod,  xxxvi.  i.  "  Then  wrought 
"  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  and  every  wife-hearted  man,  in 
"  whom  the  Lord  put  wifdom  and  underflanding,  to  know 
*'  how  to  work  all  manner  of  work  for  the  fervice  of  the 
"  fanftuary,  according  to  all  that  the  Lord  had  cod^- 
"  manded." 

Further,  as  it  is  the  infpiration  of  the  Almighty,  that 
giveth  underflanding  both  in  a  general  and  compara- 
tive view,  fo  the  improvement  of  natural  parts  by  ac- 
quired learning,  is  no  lefs  to  be  afcribed  to  him.  As  he 
gives  the  difpolition  and  ability,  fo  it  is  he  who  by  the 
courfe  of  his  providence  furniflies  the  means,  and  prefents 
the  opportunity  of  making  progrefs.  Let  human  efforts 
be  what  they  will.  If  God  do  not  fmile  upon  them,  they 
will  infallibly  be  blaitcd.  An  all  feeing  and  fcvereign  God, 
has  determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and  the 
l^ounds  of  our  habitation,  and  every  perfon.  who  will  fe- 
/ioufly  refieft,  may  be  fenfible  how  all  his  purpofes  have 


■Entirely  of  God.  g^f 

been  controuled  and  over-ruled  by  the  invifible  direclion 
of  die  ,(^reut  Difpofer  of  every  event,  who  hath  poinied  out 
the  paths  in  which  he  was  to  walk. 

(2.)  Let  us  alio  remember  that  it  is  God,  who  endows 
his  mhiiftcrs  whh  their  brip;hteft  ornaments,  viz.  holy 
and  gracious  dilpofitions  which  Terve  to  turn  their  oth^r 
talents  into  the  proper  channel,  and  to  give  them  force 
and  influence  in  the  application.  I  am  fenfible,  my  bre- 
thren, that  gifts  may  be  confidcredas  more  alllllant  to  thti 
being  of  the  miniltry,  than  even  grace  itfelf.  We  julily 
renounce  the  popifli  dodlrine,  that  the  efficacy  of  the  facra- 
ments,  or  other  ordinances,  depends  upon  the  intention  or 
inward  ftate  of  the  adminiilrator.  In  oppofition  to  thi« 
the  Allembly's  Shorter  Catechiim  fays  julUy,'  "  the  ficra- 
"  ments,  (and  it  is  equally  true  of  every  other  ordinance) 
"  becomes effettual  tofalvation,  notfromany  virtueinthein,' 
"  nor  in  him  that  doth  adminifler  them,  but  only  by  the 
"  bleflinjy  of  Chrift,  and  the  working  of  his  fpirit  in  them, 
"  that  by  faith  receive  them."  A  hypocrite  cannot  be  a 
faithful,  but  he  may  be  in  fome  dein'ce  a  fuccefsful  mirii- 
fter.  I  am  perfuaded  there  are  not  a  few  now  in  heaven, 
who  were  converted  and  edified  by  the  mhiillry  of  thofe 
v/ho  have  taken  up  their  abode  in  the  place  of  torment; 
an  awful  refle6lion  this  indeed,  to  thofe  who  arc  intrull- 
ed  with  the  office  of  the  miniflry.  It  brings  to  my 
mind  a  faying  of  an  eminent  and  piouS'  writer,  miniilers 
are  in  as  'T:reat  danger  of  deceiving  themfelves  as  others, 
and  in  fomc  rcfpedls  greater,  for  they  may  be  apt  to  mifj 
take  their  readinefs  in  thinking  and  Ipcaking  of  holy 
things,  and  diofe  gifts  which  God  befiows  upon  them,  for 
the  benefit  of  his  chofen,  for  the  fruit  and  evidence  of  gra- 
cious dilpofitions  in  their  own  hearts.  ^ 

But  notwidillanding  all  this,  it  is  beyond  all  controver- 
fy,  that  one  of  the  moll  eflential  qualifications  of  a  good 
mini-er  is,  that  he  be  a  good  man.  It  is  a  very  difficult, 
as  well  as  it  is  a  very  dreadful  thing,  to  preach  an  un- 
known S:iviour.  But  where  the  love  of  Chriil  dwells 
and  reigns  in  the  heart,  it  gives  fuch  attachment  to  his 
caufe,  fo  much  love  to  his  people,  fo  much  clearnefs  and 
comprehcnfion  in  underllanding  his  truths,  fo  great  wil- 


53^  ^he  Success  of  the  Gospel 

lingnefs,  or  rather  defire  to  communicate  them,  as  can>' 
not  fail  to  have  the  greateft  influence  on  a  minifter's  dili- 
gence, and  at  the  fame  time  gives  reafon  to  hope  that  he 
will  fpeak  from  faith  to  faith.  Thus  the  apoftle  expref- 
fcs  himfelf,  2.  Cor.  iv.  13.  "  We  having  the  fame  fpirit 
"  of  faith,  according  as  it  is  v/ritten,  I  have  believed, 
"  therefore  have  I  fpoken :  we  alfo  believe,  and  therefore 
"  fpeak.'* 

Now  to  whom  is  a  minlfler  indebted  for  his  holy  dif- 
pofitions?  Who  implanted  in  him  that  love  to  Chrift, 
which  infpires  him  with  zeal  and  fidelity  in  his  fervice  ? 
Take  the  anfwer  in  the  words  of  the  apoftle,  2  Cor.  iv. 
5,  6.  *'  For  we  preach  not  ourfelves,  but  Chrift  Jefus 
*'  our  Lord  ;  and  ourfelves,  your  fervants  for  Jefus'  fake. 
"  For  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  ftiine  out  of 
"  darknefs,  hath  Ihined  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the 
"  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jefus  Chrift." 
It  was  the  power  of  God  that  brought  him  again  from  the 
dead,  and  it  is  by  the  fpirit  of  God  dwelling  in  him,  that  he 
is  daily  faniStilied  and  enabled  to  adorn  the  doftrine  of  God, 
his  Saviour,  inall  things.  So  thatthefire  of  his  miniftrations, 
and  the  light  of  his  example,  and  the  joint  influence  of 
both,  are  to  be  ultimately  referred,  and  will  by  him  -be 
moft  willingly  and  thankfully  attributed  to  the  power  and 
grace  of  God,  his  Redeemer,  of  wliofe  fulncfs  we  all  have 
received,  and  grace  for  grace. 

2.  But  in  the  fecond  place,  the  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  de- 
pends entirely  on  God,  as  it  is  he  who  gives  efficacy  to 
the  inftru6Yions,  even  of  the  moft  eminent  and  beft  qua- 
lified minifters,  by  the  immediate  fupernatural  operation 
of  his  fpirit  and  grace.  Let  us  fuppofe  a  minifter  endued 
with  the  fincft  natural  parts,  and  thefe  improved  and  cul- 
tivated, by  all  the  advantages  of  human  learning.  Let 
him  have  the  moft  acute  and  penetrating  genius,  the  moft 
lively  imagination,  the  moft  folid  judgment,  the  moft 
charming  and  perfuafive  eloquence  ;  in  fine  let  him  have 
what  alone  is  of  more  value  than  all  thefe,  an  eminently 
pious  and  devout  heart.  With  fo  many  advantages  he 
ihall  not  be  able  to  make  one  fmcere  convert,  unlefs  al- 
mighty God  be  pleafed  to  open  the  way  by  his  divine 


Entirely  of  God.  53 f 

grace  into  the  hearts  and  confciences  of  the  fmner.  It 
is  not  then  merely  by  furnifliing  the  proper  means  and  by 
the  difpofition  of  his  providence,  giving  them  an  opportu- 
nity of  exerting  their  influence,  that  God  promotes  the  fuc- 
cefs  of  the  gofpcl,  but  by  an  immediate  and  powerful 
agency,  diftin£t  from,  and  fuperior  to  every  fecond  caufe. 
I  have  endeavored  to  exprcfs  this  with  the  greatcfi:  ful- 
nefs,  and  the  greatefl;  clearncfs,  as  a  truth  of  the  utmolt 
importance.  While  we  believe  the  ufe  and  neceffity  of 
means  and  fecond  caufes,  we  ought  never  to  feparate  them 
from,  or  forget  their  fubordination  to  God.  There  can 
hardly  be  a  nobler  illuftration  of  this  truth,  than  the  apoi- 
tle  has  given  us  in  the  text,  by  a  natural  fimilitude.  *•'  I 
*'  have  planted,"  fays  he,  "  Apollos  watered,  but  God 
"  gave  the  increafe.'*  His  expreflions  are  taken  from 
hufbandry,  or  gardening,  which  is  a  particular  branch  of 
it.  By  an  allufion  to  thefe  arts,  he  explains  his  fubjedt 
in  a  manner  level  to  the  capacity  of  every  thinking  per- 
fon.  The  hufbandman  or  gardener  may  manure,  dig  up 
and  mellow  the  foil ;  he  may  fow  his  feed,  and  drefs  his 
field  with  the  greatefl:  diligence  and  care  :  but  what  a  lit- 
tle way  has  he  gone,  or  rather  indeed  he  hath  not  fo  much 
as  begun  the  great  procefs  of  growth  and  vegetation,  that 
daily  miracle,  may  I  not  call  it,  before  our  eyes.  How 
many  things  muft  neceflarily  concur,  which  are  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  power  ?  the  enlivening  heat  of  the  fun, 
the  refrelhing  dews  and  rain  from  the  bottles  of  heaven, 
are  wholly  under  the  diredllon  and  difpofal  of  the  omni- 
potent Jehovah.  Cannot  he,  when  he  will,  make  the  hea- 
vens over  your  heads  as  brafs,  and  the  earth  under  your 
feet  as  iron  ?  Nay,  not  only  fo,  but  the  power  of  growing 
in  the  feed,  by  firiking  out  its  roots,  and  opening  its  bud, 
and  the  natural  difpofition  in  the  earth  to  nourilh  it,  are 
derived  not  from  any  virtue  inherent  iji  the  things  them- 
felyes,  but  only  from  that  almighty  word,  "  Let  the  earth 
*'  bring  forth  every  tree  bearing  fruit,  and  every  herb 
"  bearing  feed  after  its  kind."  Jull  fo  in  that  fpiritual 
hufbandry,  of  which  the  apoflle  is  fjieaking,  miniRcrs 
may  fow  the  good  feed  of  the  word  of  God,  but  it  is  his 
own  prerogative  to  give  it  a  regenerating  and  fandlifyinj; 


3^40  ^he  Success  of  the  Gospel 

efficacy,  and  make  it  produftive  of  faidi  in  the  heart,  and 
.rood  works  in  the  life.  Miniucrs  may  continue  to  wa- 
ter the  feed  ah-eady  fown,  with  fuita,ble  inli;ru6lions  and 
exhortations,  and  the  diligent  ufe  of  all  thofe  means  which 
God  hath  appointed  for  the  efi:abliiliment  and  grov/th  of 
believers :  but  it  is  only  the  influence  of  his  own  fpirit 
that  makes  thefe  means  produclive  of  the  defired  effe6t» 
Therefore  the  apoftls  concludes,  in  language  drawn  from 
the  funilitude,  "  So  then  neither  is  he  that  pianteth 
"  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giv- 
"  eth  the  increafe." 

This  important  truth,  my  brethren,  is  capable  of  a  very 
full  and  clear  proof  from  the  facred  oracles.  Every  thing 
v/e  find  recorded  there,  concerning  the  miffion  of  the  pro- 
phets, and  the  fuccefs  of  their  meffage,  carries  this  truth 
as  it  were  in  its  bofom.  Nay,  the  great  prophet  of  the 
church  gives  us  this  very  view  of  his  own  minilby  as  the 
Son  of  man.  John  vi.  44,  45,  "  No  man  can  come  to 
"  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  fcnt  mc^  draw  him  : 
"  and  I  will  raife  him  up  at  the  lad  day.  It  is  written  in 
^'  the  prophets,  and  they  fhall  be  all  taught  of  God. 
"  Every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned 
"  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me."  You  fee  that,  to  the 
commiffion  v/hich  our  Lord  gives  to  his  apoflles,  is  annex- 
ed a  promife  of  his  prefence  and  power  to  accompany 
their  miniflrations.  Math,  xxviii.  19,  20.  "  Go  ye  therc- 
"  fore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptifmg  them  in  the  name 
"  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  holy  Ghoil, 
"  teaching  them  to  obferve  all  things  whatfoever  I  have 
*'  commanded  you :  and  lo  1  am  v/ith  you  alway,  even  to 
"  the  end  of  the  world.     Amen." 

But  inftead  of  multiplying  pafTages  of  fcripture,  I  fhall 
direft  you  to  one,  vv-hich  will  let  this  part  of  my  argument 
in  the  cleareft  light.  It  is  that  pafTage  which  gives  an  ac- 
count of  the  converfion  of  Lydia,  recorded  Afts  xvi.  14. 
"  And  a  certain  woman,  named  Lydia,  a  feller  of  purple, 
"  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  which  worfliipped  God,  heard 
*'  us,  whofe  heart  the  Lord  opened,  that  fhe  attended  to 
*'  the  things  that  were  fpoken  of  Paul."  Now  if  we  at- 
tend to  the  circumflances  of  this  converfion,  we  fhall  find 


Entirely  of  GocL  54t 

that  if  any  thing  could  have  been  effeftually  done  without 
the  direcl  and  immediate  concurrence  of  the  grace  of  God, 
it  might  liave  been  expected  here.  The  cafe  was  every 
way  proMiifmg.  The  hearer  was  one  who  had  renounced 
idolatry,  and  embraced  the  worfliip  of  the  true  God.  She 
was,  it  is  not  improbable,  a  devout  woman,  fo  far  as  her 
knowledge  reached  ;  and  wanted  only  to  be  inftruQed  in 
the  faith  of  Chrill.  Here  was  for  a  preacher  the  great 
apollle  of  the  Gentiles.  I  need  fay  no  more  to  fliew  how 
well  qualified  he  was  to  do  his  part ;  and  yet  we  find  that 
even  in  this  moH:  favorable  cafe,  the  immediate  concur- 
rence of  divine  grace  was  neceffary  to  complete  the  work. 
The  Lord  muft  by  his  own  good  Spirit,  open  the  heart  of 
Lydia,  elfe  even  the  apoille  Paul,  with  all  his  divine  ac- 
complilhments,  and  a  heart  glowing  with  the  warmell 
zeal  for  the  glory  of  Chrift,  and  the  falvation  of  fouls,  will 
be  but  an  unfuccefsful  preacher. 

I  need  not  make  ufe  of  any  fcparate  arguments  to  con- 
vince you,  that  this  holds  equally  true  of  the  growth  and 
Comfort  of  believers,  as  of  the  converfion  of  fmners.  Whe- 
ther miniilers  are  employed  in  planting  or  watering,  the 
inflrument  is  nothing  :  fuccefs  flows  only  from  God.  Let 
me  therefore  requeft  and  befeech  you  to  hear  and  adore 
the  llriking  truth,  a  Paul  or  ApoUos  in  the  pulpit  v/ill  be 
altogedier  unfuccefsful  without  the  almighty  power  and 
grace  of  God.  The  rnofl  clear  and  diftinct  illullration  of 
divine  truths,  without  inward  and  fpiritual  illumination, 
will  leave  the  hearer  in  ignorance,  or  lead  him  into  error. 
The  mofl  awfnl  denunciations  of  a  fbn  of  thunder,  v/ithout 
divine  power,  will  leave  the  fumer  hardened,  of*  even  in- 
creafe  the  fearednefs  of  confcience.  The  mod  melting 
and  tender  application  to  the  affetlions,  without  divine 
energy,  will  be  treated  with  contempt  and  fcorn.  In  one 
word,  the  moft  lively  adminiftration  of  ordinances,  with- 
out the  blelfuTg  from  above,  will  be  but  in  the  language  of 
ilie  pro]3!)et,  as  a  mifcafrying  womb,  and  dry  brealls. 

My  brethren  you  may  not  only  be  convinced  of  this 
truth,  becaufe  it  is  recorded  in  the  word  of  God,  but  may 
fee  it  daily  excDiplified  in  every  part  of  the  vifible  church* 

Vol.  IL  3^  Y 


54^  The  Success  of  the  Gospel 

You  may  fee  the  fame  ordinancesacceptable,  delightful,  and 
profitable  to  fome;  deferted,  defpifed  and  refilled  by  others^ 
Under  the  very  fame  adminiilration,  you  may  fee  fome  ef- 
fediually  perfuaded  to  turn  to  the  living  God,  walking  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  ccimfort  of  the  holy  Ghofi^ 
and  daily  multiplied  :  fome  on  the  other  hand  caring  for 
none  of  thefe  things,  but  fleeping  in  fecurity,  nay  fome 
v/hofc  corruptions  are  irritated,  fwelling  with  rage,  con- 
tradifting  and  blaf]:>heming,  all  which  is  well  defcribed  by 
the  apoflle  Paul,  2  Cor.  ii.  15,  16.  "  For  we  are  unto  God 
•■'  a  fweet  f;ivor  of  Chrill,  in  them  that  are  faved,  and  iii 
"  them  that  perilh.  To  the  one  we  are  the  favor  of  death 
*'  unto  death  ;  and  to  the  other,  the  favor  of  life  unto  life  j 
"  and  v/ho  is  fufficient  for  thefe  things?" 

3.  The  third  andlaft  obfefvation  I  am  to  make  for  the 
illuftration  of  this  truth  is,  that  fuccefs  in  the  gofpel  de- 
pends wholly  upon  God,  as  he  exercifes  much  of  his  own 
fovereignty  in  the  manner  of  bellowing  it.  He  takes  care 
if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  to  fliew  that  it  is  from  himfelf  by  thef 
meafure  in  which  he  proportions  the  fuccefs  to  the  nature 
and  fufficiency  of  the  means  he  fees  proper  to  employ.  Alt 
is  from  God,  as  you  have  already  heard  becaufc  the  difpof- 
ing  and  com.millioninghis  miniitersis  originally  his  own 
work— -again,,  becaufe  however  well  qualified  they  may  be, 
his  own  almighty  agency  is  necelTary  to  give  them  fuccefs^ 
But  when  there  is  a  regular  proportion  always  obferved, 
betv/een  the  jmeans  and  the  end,  men  are  ready  to  over- 
look, or  forget  the  great  and  firfi:  caufe  of  all.  For  this 
reafon  he  fees  it  often  meet  to  manifcft  his  fovereignty,  in 
order  to  command  our  attention,  by  working  without 
means,  or  by  the  weakeil  means,  or  even  contrary  to' 
means,  and  blafting  the  effect  of  thofe  that  were  mofl  ex- 
cellent and  promifing  in  human  judgment.  Jufl  as  the 
beautiful  and  regular  order  of  the  natural  world,  the  mutu- 
al dependance  of  one  part  upon,  and  its  fubferviency  ta 
another,  is  a  proof  of  the  wifdom  and  omnipotence  of  the 
Creator.  Yet  he  fees  it  neceffary  fometimes  to  interpofe» 
ifi  an  extraordinary  way,  and  to  controul  the  courfe  of 
iiature,  to  Ihev/  that  it  is  abfolutely  at  his  commands 


Entirely  of  God.  543 

Remember,  however,  my  brethren,  tint  m  carrying  on 
the  work  of  the  gofpel,  God  ufually  proportions  the  fuccefs 
to  the  propriety  and  iufficiency  of  the  means.  AVhen  he 
has  much  work  to  do,  he  commonly  railes  up  fome  perfons 
eminently  qualified ;  he  draws  from  his  quiver  fome  po- 
liflied  Ihafts,  to  pierce  the  nmks  of  oppofing  hofls.  Yet 
he  often  prefents  to  our  view  fuch  circumllances  as  ferve 
to  fhow  the  dependancc  of  all  means  upon  himfelf.  AVhen 
the  gofpel  v/as  firll  preached,  the  apohles  v/ere  indeed  ful- 
ly fitted  and  furnifhed  for  their  work  ;  but  it  Avas  by  a 
miracle.  They  were  originally  poor  illiterate  filhermen, 
quite  unequal  in  themfelvesto  the  adouifliing  undertaking, 
of  producing  a  revolution  in  the  fiate  of  religion,  and  the 
i'entiments  of  mankind  over  the  whole  earth.  Such  per- 
fons feem  to  have  been  employed  for  this  wife  purpofe, 
*^  that  our  faith  might  not  Hand  in  the  wifdom  of  man, 
*'  but  in  the  power  of  God."  I  have  often  confidered  this 
matter  with  a  mixture  of  reverence  and  admiration. 

That  proper  refped  might  flill  be  had  to  the  qualifica- 
tions of  minifters,  and  that  none  might  be  jullified  in 
pouring  contempt  on  human  fcience,  the  apoille  Paul,  a 
man  of  eminent  learning  ajid  ability,  was  the  moll:  adlive, 
ufeful  and  fuccefsful  of  all  the  apoflles  ;  and  one  third  part 
at  leafl,  of  the  whole  canon  of  the  New  Teftament,  was 
written  by  him.  At  the  fame  time  there  were  fuch  clr- 
cumftances  in  his  callii\g  and  converfion,  aa  vnade  him  one 
of  the  moil  illullrious  monuments  of  the  lovereignty  and 
riches,  of  divine  grace,  that  any  age  has,  produced. 

In  the  fame  manner,  we  fee  every  day  the  clearefl 
prooi^  of  the  power,  wifdom,  and  fovereignty  of  God, 
We  fee  that  he  many  times  gives  extraordinary  and  fen- 
fible  afiifiance  to  thofe  whom  he  employs  in  his  own 
work.  So  that  they  both  perceive  and  confefs  that  it  is 
not  they,  but  the  grace  of  God,  that  is  with  them.  Some- 
times thofc  of  very  moderate^or  even  of  the  weakefl:  natu- 
ral abilities,,  jiave  an  unction  from  the  holy  one,  and  by 
their  piety  and  diligence  become  workmen,  that  need  not 
be  ailiamcd,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  trudi.  This  may 
be  confidorcd  as  an  accompliihment  of  what  Ifaiah  fays  of 
hjmfelf,  lf;ii^h  1.  4.  "  And  the  Lord  God,  hatligivqariLQ- 


144  ^^  Success  of  the  Gospel 

*'  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  that  I  lliould  know  how  to 
''  fpeak  a  word  in  feafon  to  him  that  is  weary."  See  alfo 
the  expreffion  of  the  Pfalmifl,  Pfal.  xxv.  14.  "  The  fe- 
*'  cret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him  :  and  he 
"  will  fhew  them  is  covenant."  Our  Lord  promifes  to 
his  difciples  extraordinary  affiftance,  intimeof  extraordina- 
trials  and  fuffering,  Luke  xxi.  14.  15.  "  Settle  it  there- 
-'  fore  in  your  hearts,  not  to  meditate  before,  what  ye  fhall 
"  anfwer.  For  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wifdom,  which 
"  all  your  adverfaries  fhall  not  be  able  to  gain  fay,  nor  re- 
"  fift."  And  to  name  one  m^ore  pafiage,  it  is  prophefied 
by  Ifaiah  of  the  gofpel  times,  chapter  xxxii.  4.  "  The 
"  heart  alfo  of  the  rafli  fliall  underlland  knowledge,  and  the 
"  tongue  of  the  ftammerers  lliall  be  ready  to  fpeak  plain- 
*'  ]y." 

In  a  former  part  of  this  difcourfe,  T  have  admitted  that 
gifts  may  be  confidered  as  more  neceflary  to  the  being  of 
the  miniftry,  than  even  grace  itfelf.  Yet  certainly  true 
religion  in  the  heart,  is  of  far  greater  importance  to  the 
fuccefs  and  efficacy  of  the  miniftry,  than  eminence  or 
gifts.  It  feems  often  the  very  purpofe  of  divine  provi- 
dence, to  pour  contempt  upon  unfanftified  talents.  The 
Jiumble  pallor  of  meaner  rank,  who  loves  his  mailer,  his 
work,  and  his  people,  Ihall  often  have  many  feals  of  his 
miniffry,  while  the  perfon  of  fuperior  parts  is  urged  by 
ambitious  views  into  the  unprofitable  paths  of  worldly  ho- 
nors, or  inftigated  by  unmortified  pafCon,  to  mar  the  fuc- 
pefs  of  his  miniftry,  by  launching  out  into  the  tempeftu- 
ous  ocean  of  political  conteft  and  faction.  But  belides 
the  unfruitfulnefs  of  unfanftified  talents,  there  are  alfo  ma- 
ny proofs  of  the  fovereignty  of  God,  in  refufmg  his  bleffing 
and  making  the  beft  minifters  in  a  great  meafure  unpro- 
fitable to  a  people,  in  righteous  judgment  for  their  paft  fins. 
Even  Ifaiah  could  fay,  chap.  liii.  i.  "  Who  hath  believed 
*'■  our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  reveal- 
"  ed  ?"  Our  blefled  Lord  himfelf  upbraided  many  of  .the 
cities  where  his  mighty  works  were  done,  becaufe  of  their 
unbelief  and  indeed  upon  any  of  his  hearers  his  miniftry, 
inftead  of  a  faving,  had  a  hardening  effeft,'  John  iii.  19. 
<(■  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into^ 


Entirely  of  God.  545 

"■  the  world,  and  men  loved  darknefs  rather  tlian  lip;ht, 
''  becaufe  their  deeds  were  evil.  The  fame  thing  is  cife- 
where  relolved  into  the  lively  and  righteous  judgment  of 
God.  John  xii.  39,  40.  ''  I'herefore  they  could  not  be- 
"  lieve,  becaufe  that  Efaias  faid  again,  he  hath  blinded 
"  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart  ;  that  they  iliould 
"  not  fee  with  their  eyes,  nor  underlland  with  their  heart, 
"  and  be  converted,  and  I  fliould  heal  them." 

I  proceed  now  to  make  fome  practical  improvement  of 
what  hath  been  faid.    And  in  the 

Firit  place,  a  deep  and  lively  impreflion  of  the  trutli  I 
have  endeavored  to  illuilratc  and  fupport,  will  be  to  thofc 
who  preach  the  gofpel  an  excellent  prefervation  from  ma- 
ny temptationc.  It  will  preferve  them  from  trufling  in 
themfeivcs,  it  will  keep  them  iliil  looking  upward,  and 
engage  them  to  maintain  a  continual  intercourle  with  the 
Father  of  lights,  and  the  author  of  every  good  and  pcrfctTi: 
gift.  It  will  alfo,  particularly  be  an  excellent  mean  of 
preferving  them  from  the  dangerous  extremes  of  oftenta- 
tion  and  floth.  Oh,  how  unbecoming  a  minifler,  is  a 
vain-glorious  difplay  of  human  art,  burning  inctnfe  to  his 
own  vanity,  and  preaching  himfelf,  when  he  is  called  to 
preach  Chrhl  Jefus  the  Lord.  It  is  no  wonder  tliat  God 
ihould  in  his  providence,  pour  dilgracc  and  difappoint- 
ment  on  that  minillry,  that  is  carried  on  in  hich  a  man- 
ner, as  to  aim  more  at  promoting  the  credit  of  the  fervant, 
than  the  honor  of  the  mafler.  On  the  other  hand,  with 
what  countenance  can  they  look  up  to  God  for  a  bleiling, 
who  have  been  at  no  pains  to  qualify  themfeivcs  for  his 
fervice.  As  oftentation  provokes  the  divine  jcaloufy,  lo 
negligence,  is  difobedience,  prcfumption,  and  precifclv 
v;hat  the  fcripture  calls  tempting  God.  I  woukl  never  de- 
fire  to  be  confidered,  as  one  who  would  encourage  men, 
to  rufli  into  a  pulpit  unprepared,  and  dilgracc  their  ho- 
norable calling,  by  rude,  undigelled,  diforderly  eflufions, 
or  fuch  mean,  flovenly,  indecent  language,  as  lays  the 
hearers  under  the  llrongell  temptation,  to  treat  it  with 
an  infolcnce  of  indic^nation  and  contemnt.  Let  me  com- 
mend  this,  to  the  attention  of  fuch  young  pcrfonr>,as  may 
have  an  eye  to  the  facred  office.  My  dear  fellow  ftudents, 


54^  T^he  Success  of  the  Gospel 

how  happy  they,  who  can  unite  together,  the  fimplicity  of 
the  gofpel,  and  the  dignity  of  the  pulpit.  Who  are  on  the 
one  hand,  not  aflmmed  of  the  crofs,  and  the  ignominy 
that  attends  it ;  and  on  the  other,  as  devoted  fervants,  are 
refolved  to  comply  with  the  counfel  given  by  the  apoftle 
Paul  to  Timothy,  i  Tim.  iv.  15,  16.  "  Meditate  upon 
"  thefe  things,  give  thyfelf  wholly  to  them  ;  that  thy  pro- 
"  fiting  may  appear  unto  all.  Take  heed  unto  thyfelf,  and 
*'  unto  thy  doctrine  ;  continue  in  them  ;  for  in  doing 
"  this,  thou  flialt  both  fave  thyfelf,  and  them  that  hear 
"■  thee," 

2.  A  deep  impreiTion  of  the  truth,  I  have  endeavored  to 
illuftrate,  will  be  an  excellent  preiervative  to  the  hearers. 
of  the  gofpel,  from  many  temptations,  which  often  ren- 
der their  attendance  on  ordinances,  as  fruitlefs  or  pernici- 
ous. It  Vk^ill  purify  their  views  and  motives,  in  attending 
on  ordinances.  It  will  deliver  them  from  a  fmful  and 
unreafonable  attachment  to  men,  and  carry  them  more 
immediately  into  the  prefence  of  the  living  God :  it  will 
fave  them  from  that  giddy,  unfettied  difpofition,  of  run- 
ning with  unbounded  curiofity,  from  one  to  another,  not 
that  they  may  be  built  up  in  holinefs  and  comfort,  but 
that  their  imagination  and  fancy  may  be  gratified.  It 
will  preferve  them  from  hearing  the  gofpel,  merely  as 
critics,  in  order  to  pafc  their  judgment  on  the  foundnefs 
or  ability  of  their  teachers,  which,  with  whatever  pride  or 
felf-fufficiency  it  may  be  done,  is  as  empty  and  unprofi- 
table a  manner  of  hearing,  as  any  that  can  be  named.  It 
will  fettle  their  efteem  of,  and  attachment  to  their  pallors, 
upon  the  bell,  and  moil  immoveable  foundation.  They 
will  then  love  them  for  their  work's  fake,  they  will  love 
them  for  their  mailer's  fake,  they  will  love  them  for 
their  own  foul's  fake,  and  for  their  fubferviency  to  their 
daily  edification.  It  Vv-ill  carry  them  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  incline  them  to  m?ike  continual  and  fervent, 
iupplication  to  God,  for  his  afiillance  and  countenance  to 
his  miniilers,  in  his  own  work  ;  and  this  will  bring  them 
to  his  houfe,  in  the  be.1  and  happiell  temper  for  hearing 
with  profit :  in  one  word,  it  will  make  then\,  in  a  great 
meafiire,  lofe  view  of  the  creature,  and  hear  the  gofpel^, 


Entirely  of  Go  J.  54^ 

hot  "  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  it  is  indeed,  and  In  truth, 
*'  the  word  of  God." 

3.  Let  me  intrcat  the  prayers  of  this  conrrrcfTatlon, 
for  the  minifters  of  die  gofpel  in  general,  and  for  us,  who 
ininifter  among  you  in  holy  things,  that  we  may  be 
abundantly  qualified,  for  the  difcharge  of  our  imporr 
tant  trufl  in  all  its  parts.  The  apoillc  Paul,  though  ex* 
traordinarily  called,  though  Angularly  qualified,  and  em^ 
nently  aflilled,  never  fails  to  afl^:  the  prayers  and  inter» 
eeflion  of  the  faithful,  in  his  behalf,  Eph.  vl.  19.  "  And 
*'  for  me,  that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  me,  that  I  mar 
"  open  my  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  myflery  of 
"  the  gofpel."  After  this  approved  example,  I  hope  you 
will  forgive  me,  if  I  put  in  a  particular  claim  in  my  own 
behalf,  for  your  interell  at  the  throne  of  grace.  I  make  no 
merit  at  all,  of  having  left  country,  and  kindred,  and 
connexions  of  the  deareft  Idnd,  in  order  to  ferve  the  in- 
terefl:  of  the  church  of  Clhrill,  in  this  part  of  the  globe  :  for 
I  confider  with  pleafure,  the  onencfs  of  his  body,  and  the 
extent  of  the  cadiolic  ch'jrch,  that  there  fliall  come  from 
the  eail,  and  from  the  weil,  and  from  the  north,  and  i>om 
the  fouth,  and  fet  down  with  Abraham,  and  Ifaac,  and 
Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  their  fiither.  Could  we  but 
think  as  we  ought,  of  the  great  removal,  which  v/e  arc 
making  from  time  to  time,  into  an  eternal  ftate  ;  the  fc- 
moval  of  our  bodies,  and  the  change  6f  Our  fcene  of  fer- 
vice  from  Europe  to  America,  would  appear  altogether 
unworthy  of  notice.  But  when  I  confider  the  refpedl  and 
affe6lion,  fo  nmch  above  my  defert,  that  have  been  fliewn 
to  me,  fince  my  arrival  in  this  place,  and  the  teflimoliie.^ 
of  joy  and  fatisfadtion,  which  have  been  given  by  ail 
ranks,  I  am  filled  with  the  greatefl  concern  :  I  fay  I  ar;i 
fdled  with  the  greatell  concern,  bcxaufe  it  plainly  impUe* 
an  expectation  of  duty  and  fervice  from  me,  v/hicl.  I  f/ar 
I  fliail  be  ill  able  to  perform.  Let  me  therefore,  oii  fo 
jull  a  foundation,  not  folicit  only,  but  demand  an  intereP" 
in  your  prayers.  Pray  that  an  all-fufficient  God,  may  give, 
flrength  from  above,  and  may  pour  down  his  bltlling  on 
the  public  infl:itution  in  this  place,  which  upon  the  l^ell 
information,  I  dunk  I  may  fay  ha«  been  founded  ia  faith ; 


54'-^  T'he  Success  of  the  Gospel 

and  therefore,  why  lliould  not  we  continue  to  ferve  it  iit 
hope.  Pray  that  luccefs  may  attend  the  miniflry  of  the  gof- 
pel  in  this  place  ;  and  that  if  it  pleafe  God,  the  efteem  and 
afFeftion  fhewn  to  me,  by  all  to  whom  I  fland  now  related, 
may  not  be  lefs  than  it  is,  for  I  have  not  the  leall;  reafon 
to  defire,  nor  indeed  the  courage  to  hope,  that  it  can  pof- 
fibly  be  greater.  Once  more,  pray  that  my  beloved  charge, 
v/hom  T  left  in  Scotland,  and  will  never  forget,  may,  by 
the  fpeclal  conduct  of  divine  providence,  be  fupplied  with 
a  faithful  pafior,  who  may  feed  them  with  knowledge  and 
underllanding. 

4.  In  the  laft  place,  fuffer  me  to  conclude,  by  addref- 
fmg  a  few  words  to  thole  in  this  allembly,  vvho  are,  or 
who  have  reafon  to  fufpeft  themfelves  to  be  in  a  Hate  of 
diftance  from  God.  I  know  that  he  himfelf  only  can 
change  your  hearts.  Yet  he  hath  given  it  in  charge  to  his 
miniflers,  that  you  fliould  receive  warning.  And  be  af- 
fured,  that  if  you  defpife  the  meffage,  if  you  trample  upon 
the  divine  mercy,  and  refill  the  Spirit  of  God,  when 
pleading  with  you  in  his  v/ord,  or  ftriving  and  bearing 
wiLnefs  againft  you  in  your  conlciences  ;  your  everlailing 
perdition  will  lie  entirely  at  your  own  door.  God  will 
be  jufl;  when  he  fpeaketh,  and  clear  when  he  judgeth. 
Confider,  1  befeech  you,  that  there  is  certainly,  to  all  of  us 
here  prefent,  one  thing  that  is  needful.  It  lignifies  very 
little,  whether  you  pafs  the  little  uncertain  time  that  you 
Ihail  yet  be  in  the  body,  in  abundance  or  in  penury,  in 
honor  or  in  fliame,  compared  to  what  fliall  become  of  you 
forever.  Lay  tliefe  things  to  heart,  then,  in  this  day  of 
your  merciful  vilitation.  There  is  but  one  way  to  efcape  :■ 
''  Believe  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Ghrill,  that  be- 
"  lieving  you  may  have  life,  through  his  name.," 


I     549     ] 


>  MM  K~  K^^  (OM  Moa  "^Mo  tnts  gsM  asM  eoM  MW  Meo  uvea  mo*  wm  ar«a  mo*  M.V  m**  no:  4 

>  COM  (oco  c*rt  •»»  MM  »*o*  N**  0000  aeo*  fio«»  o**a  aooe  *oe*  km  mm  mm  oooo  omo  jom  »tec  i 


Tin     YOKE     OF     CHRIST. 


SERMON 


Matthew  xi.  30. 
For  my  yoke  is  easy^  and  my  burden  is  light, 

A  CLEAR  view  of  divine  tnith  is  of  the  utmoft"  mo- 
ment, both  to  the  hohnefs  and  comfort  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  They  are  fandlified  by  the  truth.  It  is  no 
lefs  neceiTary,  by  manifeflation  of  the  truth,  to  turn 
fmners  from  the  error  of  their  ways  :  for  the  word  of  God 
is  quick  and  powerful.  While  we  keep  thcfe  things  in 
view,  we  ought  alfo  to  remember,  that  the  truths  of  God 
are  injured,  not  only  by  oppofition,  but  perverfion.  Wc 
are  afllired  that  thofe  who  are  unlearned  and  unftable, 
wrefi  this  good  word  of  God  to  their  own  deflruftion.  If 
this  is  the  cafe,  it  follows  naturally,  that  as  the  bait  ia 
mod  dangerous,  when  the  hook  is  moft  effectually  conceal- 
ed, fo  faifliood  will  be  moft  apt  to  infmuate  itfclf,  when 
it  wears  the  habit,  and  has  the  greateft  rcfemblance  to 
real  truth. 

The  reafon  of  my  ufmg  this  introdu£lion  to  what 
Ihall  be  offered  on  the  text  now  read,  is,  that  it  is 
one  of  the  paffages  moft  frequently,  and  moft  artfully 
perverted,  or  moil  unhappily  mifapplied.     It  contains 

Vol.  II*  -x  Z 


55c>  ^JChe  7'oke  of  Christ. 

a  moft  important  and  falutary  truth,  if  taken  in  its 
proper  meaning,  and  according  to  the  analogy  of  faith. 
But  as  it  is  wrefled  and  perverted  by  men  of  corrupt 
minds,  it  is  often  made  to  convey  a  ilupifying  and  dan- 
gerous poifon.  What  more  important,  than  to  deftroy  the 
unjuft  accufations  of  the  father  of  lies,  as  if  religion  were 
a  heavy  and  infupportable  burden  ?  But  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  fame  thing  is  made  ufe  of  to  fow  pillows  for  all 
armholes,  and  fmg  the  finner  afleep  in  fecurity,  it  is  equal- 
ly deftru6tive.  Therefore,  in  difcourfmg  of  this  fubje6t» 
through  the  affiftance  of  divine  grace,  I  will  endeavor, 

I.  To  lliow  you  what  you  are  not  to  fuppofe,  im- 
plied in  this  declaration  of  our  Lord,  "  My  yoke  is  eafy, 
"  and  my  burden  light." 

II.  What  is  its  true  and  proper  meaning,  and 

III.  In  the  laft  place,  to  apply  the  fubjeft. 

Firft,  then,  I  am  to  fliow  you  what  you  are  not  to  fup- 
pofe implied  in  this  declaration  of  our  Lord,  "  My  yoke 
"  is  eafy,  and  my  burden  light."  On  this,  I  befeech  you 
to  attend  to  the  following  obfervations. 

I.  When  our  Saviour  fays,  "  My  yoke  is  eafy,  and 
"  my  burden  light,"  you  are  not  to  fuppofe  that  lie  has 
narrowed  the  extent,  or  weakened  the  obligation  of  the 
law  of  God.  There  are  fome  who  fpeak  in  fuch  terms, 
as  if  they  thought  that  Chrift  had  granted  fomelicenfe  and 
indulgence  to  human  corruption  ;  that  he  had  abated  the 
fe verity  of  the  law,  and  would  not  be  'io  highly  offended 
by  the  tranfgreffion  of  it.  Becaufe  we  are  taught  that  he 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  or  the  rigor  of 
its  fanftion  as  a  covenant  of  works,  they  fpeak  as  if  they 
thought,  or  at  leaft  fo  as  to  lead  others  to  think,  that  he 
hath  made  void  the  obligation  of  it,  as  a  rule  of  duty.  But 
the  law  of  God  is  perfeft,  eternal,  and  unchangeable. 
It  is  a  tranfcript  of  his  own  nature,  which  he  will  not,  or 
which,  I  fpeak  it  with  reverence,  he  cannot  difpenfe  with. 
The  fcripture  exprefsly  fays,  that  he  cannot  deny  him- 
felf. 

K'ow  our  bleffed  Lord  himfelf  has  told  us  upon  this  fub- 
je^t,  Math,  v,  17,  18.  "  Think  not  that  I  am  cpme  to  de- 


The  Toke  of  Christ,  551 

**  flroy  the  \d.\v  or  the  prophets  :  I  am  not  come  to  deflroy, 
''  but  to  fulfil.  For  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  till  heaven 
*'  and  earth  pafs,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  fhall  in  no  wife 
'*  pafs  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."  Agreeably  to  this, 
he  hath  been  fo  far  from  narrowing  the  extent  of  the  law, 
that  he  hath  aflerted  its  honor,  vindicated  it  from  the  falfe 
gloffes  an*.!  loofe  interpretation  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
fees ;  and  pointed  out  its  fpirituality  and  influence  upon 
the  confcience  and  heart.  See  feveral  inftances  of  this  in 
the  above  cited  chapter,  particularly  verfes  21,  22,  and  27, 
28.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  faid  by  them  of  old  time, 
"  Thou  fhalt  not  kill :  and,  whofoever  fliall  kill,  fliall  be 
"  in  danger  of  the  judgment :  But  I  fay  unto  you,  that 
"  whofoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  widiout  a  caufe,  fhall 
*'  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment ;  and  whofoever  fliall  fay 
**  to  his  brother,  Raca,  fhall  be  in  danger  of  the  council : 
*'  but  whofoever  fliall  fay,  thou  fool,  fliall  be  in  danger  of 
*'  hell-fire.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  faid  by  them  of  old 
*'  time.  Thou  flialt  not  commit  adultery  :  but  I  fay  unto 
*'  you,  that  whofoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lufl  after  her, 
"  hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart." 
How  diflant  is  this  from  relaxation,  or  from  modifying 
and  accommodating  the  law  to  the  corruptions  of  men  I 
And  as  to  the  obligation  of  the  law,  nothing  is  more  clear, 
than  that  our  Saviour  has  not  taken  from,  but  added  to  it 
in  many  ways.  He  has  added  to  it  by  the  clearnefs  of 
the  difcovery  which  he  hath  made  of  the  divine  nature 
and  will ;  by  the  moft  glorious  difplay  of  divine  mercy 
through  him  ;  and  as  a  juit  and  necclTary  confequence,  by 
the  awful  thunderings  which  he  hath  denounced  againfl 
thofe  who  fliall  continue  to  defpife  the  grace  of  the  gofpel. 
Heb.  ii.  2,  3.  "  For  if  the  word  fpoken  by  angels  was  fied- 
**  faft,  and  every  tranfgreffion  and  difobedience  received 
"  a  jufl  recompence  of  reward  ;  how  fhall  weefcape  if  we 
*'  negled  fo  great  falvation  ;  which  at  the  firil  began  to  be 
"  fpoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by 
*'  them  that  heard  him."  And  the  fame  epiille,  ch.  x. 
verfes  26,  27,  28,  29,  "  For  if  we  fin  wilfully  after  that 
*'  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  re- 
*'  maineth  no  more  facrifice  ibr  fins,  but  a  certain  ft^arful 


$St  The  Yoke  of  Chrhf. 

"  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation-,  wliiefe- 
*'  fhall  devour  the  adverfaries.  He  that  defpifed  Mofes* 
"  law,  died  without  mercy  under  two  or  three  witnefles  : 
*'  of  how  much  forer  punifhment,  fuppofe  yc,  fliall  he  he 
"  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of 
*'  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
"  wherewith  he  v/as  fanftined  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath 
"  done  defpite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  ?" 

1.  When  our  Saviour  fays,  "  my  yoke  is  eafy,  and 
*'  my  burden  is  light,"  you  are  not  to  fuppofe  he  means 
to  fay  that  real,  and  acceptable  obedience  to  the  law  of 
God,  is  an  eafy  thing  to  men,  as  they  are  in  themfelveSy 
or  in  a  fmful  and  unrenewed  flate.  Oh  fay  fome  the 
gofpel  is  a  humane  and  gentle  difpenfation,.  the  fame  does: 
not  bear  hard  upon  human  weaknefs.  If  we  lliould  make 
him  to  fay  this  my  brethren,  we  fhould  make  him  to  fpeak 
in  direft  oppofition,  to  many  other  paifages  of  fcripture,  as 
well  as  to  daily  experience,  and  the  nature  and  reafon  of 
the  thing.  Men  may  if  they  pleafe,  create  to  themfelves 
an  image  of  religion,  that  fliall  be  quite  gentle  and  pliant, 
that  fliall  have  nothing  in  it  offenfive  to  corrupt  nature, 
or  at  any  time  oppofed  to  the  manners  of  fafliionable  life  ;■ 
but  nothing  can  be  more  diftant  from  New  Teftament 
truth.  Ther^  we  are  told  that  Rom.  viii.  7,  8.  "  Ee- 
'*  "  caUfe  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againft  God ;  for  it  is 
*'  not  fubjeft  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 
*'  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flelli,  cannot  pleafe  God."' 
There  we  are  told,  that  men  are  by  nature  dead  in  tref- 
pafles  and  fins,  that  their  recovery  is  the  work  of  omni- 
potence, even  the  tnighty  poiver  of  God^  and  that  none 
can  bring  a  clean  thing,  out  of  an  unclean,  but  God 
alone.  But  why  fliould  we  multiply  paifages  of  fcripture, 
to  this  purpofc,  when  it  is  manifefi  from  the  nature  of 
the  thing  and  daily  experience.  If  it  were  eafy  in  this 
fenfe  to  put  on  Chrift's  yoke,  it  would  alfo  be  commono 
Is  not  the  prevalence  of  wickednefs  a  proof  to  the  con- 
trary ?  Can  any  thing  be  more  oppofite  than  fin  and  ho- 
linefs  ?  None.  Not  even  light  and  darknefs.  Can  any 
man  then  fcrve  two  mailers  ?  Is  it  an  eafy  thing  to  love 
•fin,  and  pradice  holineis.     Do  we  fee  it  is  lb  in  any  iiw 


Yhe  Tohc  of  Christ.  ^^r 

fiance  ?  Do  we  reckon  it  is  cafy  for  the  drunkard  to  de- 
ny his  appetite,  when  he  fees  the  liquor  giving  its  colour 
in  the  cup,  and  moving  itfelf  aright  ?  Is  it  eafy  for  the 
malicious  perfon,  to  govern  his  tongue,  or  the  covetous 
man  to  open  his  heart  ?  The  truth  is,  it  is  a  direcl  con- 
tradidion,  for  the  law  of  the  Lord  fearches,  and  chicliy 
requires  the  obedience  of  the  heart ;  and  therefore  to  fup- 
polc,  or  imagine  that  the  generality  of  men,  who  are 
under  the  dominion  of  fm,  may  notwithllanding  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  is  an  abfurdity  which  we 
would  not  be  guilty  of,  in  any  other  fubjecl.  Either 
fays  our  Saviour,  "make  the  tree  good  and  his  fruit  good;"" 
&c.  "  Can  a  fountain  fend  out  at  the  fame  place,  fweet 
*'  water  and  bitter  ?" 

3.  When  our  Saviour  fays   "  my  yoke  is  eafy,  and 
*'  my  burden  is  light."    You  are  not  to  fuppofe,  that  it 
is  an  eafy  or  trifling  thing,  or  what  the  fmner  may  do 
at  any  time,  by  his  own  flrength  to  turn  from  fin  to  God. 
Nothing  can  be  more  pernicious  or  %  more  ftupifying 
dofe,  to  a  poor  carelefs  fmner,  dian  to  make  him  fuppofs 
that  he  may  eafily  at  any  time,  repent  when  neceiTity 
fhall  urge  him  to  it.     The  v/hole  Jyllcm  of  divine  truth 
Hands  in  diredl  oppofition  to  this  error.     There  our  con- 
dition by  nature  is  confidered  as  not  only  miferable,  but 
helplefs.     It  is  divine    power   alone  that  can  afTedl  the 
change,  John  vi.  44.  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  CKcept 
"  the  Father,  which  hath  fent  me,  draw  him  :   and  I  will 
"  raifc  him  up  at  the  lall  day."     Pfal.  ex.  3.  Thy  people 
"  fliall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."     The  great- 
nefs  of  the  change  necelfary  to  falvation  demonflrates  the 
fame  thing,    John  iii.  3.  "Verily,  verily  I  fay  unto  thee, 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  fee  the  kingdom 
*'  of  God.^    The  multitudes  that  perifli  is  a  further  proof. 
*'  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  llrait  gate,"   he.     To  this  may 
be  added  the  danger  of  delay,  and  the  hardening  power  of 
habit  as  frequently  mentioned  in  fcripture,  Eccles.  xii.  i. 
*'  Remember  now  thy  Creator,  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, 
*'  while  the  evil  days  come  not,   nor  the  years  draw  nigh^ 
"  when  thou   fhalt  fay,   I  have  no  plcafurc   in  them." 
"  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  Ikin,  or  the  Leopard  his 


554  ^^-'^  '^^oke  of  Christ. 

"  fpots  ;  then  may  ye  alfo,  who  are  accuflomed  to  do  evil^ 
*'  learn  to  do  well."  To  crown  the  whole,  there  are  in- 
ftances  in  which  tlie  day  of  God's  patience,  and  forbearance 
is  clofed,  and  the  finners  eyes  fliall  not  be  opened  on  his 
danger,  Luke  xix.  41,  42.  "  And  when  he  was  come 
"  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  Saying,  If 
*'  thou  hadfl  known,  even  thou,  at  lead  in  this  thy  day^ 
*'  the  things  v^^hich  belong  unto  thy  peace  !  but  now  they 
*' are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  2  ThelT.  ii.  11.  "For  this 
"  caufe  God  fliali  fend  them  ftrong  delufion,  that  they 
*'  fliouid  believe  a  lie." 

4.  When  Chrift  fays  "  my  yoke  is  eafy,  and  my  burden 
"  is  light,"  we  are  not  to  fuppofe  that  even  the  children 
of  God  fliall  meet  with  no  difficulties  in  their  v/ay.  It 
ieems  to  be  the  miflake  of  fomc  perfons  to  think  that  fo 
foon  as  they  have  truly  embraced  the  gofpel,  and  obtained 
peace  with  God,  the  conflift  is  over,  they  fhall  have  an 
eafy  and  flothfui  afTurance,  without  oppofition  either  from 
affliction  or  temptation.  But  this  is  quite  contrary  to 
what  the  fcripture  teaches  to  expect.  It  teaches  us  to  lay 
our  account  with  oppofition,  from  every  quarter  injury  from 
without  and  even  treachery  from  within.  The  life  of  a 
chriftian  muft  be  a  life  of  vigilance  and  prayer.  Out- 
ward peace,  ill  founded  peace,  a  fecure  unfaithful  confci- 
ence,  is  what  we  have  the  greateft  reafon  to  dread.  Thefe 
are  hard  ikyings  in  the  gofpel,  which  even  the  children  of 
God  find  it  difficult  to  receive.  We  are  expofed  to  con- 
tinual temptation  from  the  world  and  from  worldly  men, 
and  to  frequent  trials  both  as  we  are  men  and  chriflians, 
Heb.  xii.  5.  "  And  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation, 
"  which  fpeaketh  unto  you  as  unto  children,  my  fon,  de- 
"  fpife  not  thou  the  chaftening  of  the  Lord,  nor  faint 
"  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him  :"  In  the  chriflian  war- 
fare there  is  no  truce.  It  is  only  he  that  fhall  endure  to 
the  end  that  fliall  be  faved — The  laft  enemy  that  Ihall  be 
deftroyed,  is  death. 

Havingthusrejeftedthefefalfeand miftaken  apprehenfions 
fometimes  fuggelled  by  this  paflags  of  fcripture,  and  great- 
ly encouraged  by  fmooth  and  mollifying  teachers,  it  Ire- 
mains,  that  I  Ihould  proceed  to  point  out  the  true  and  pro- 


7hc  Toke  of  Christ.  555 

per  meaning  of  it,  and  w  hat  we  are  to  iinderfland  when 
the  Redeemer  invites  fmners  to  come  to  him,  by  faying 
"  my  yoke  is  eafy  and  my  burden  is  light."  And  becaufe 
there  are  many  things  pertaining  to  this  fubjedl,  that  throw- 
light  upon  each  other,  I  fl^all  endeavor  to  take  in  the 
whole  compafs  of  it,  making  however  the  illuHration  of 
each  particular  very  fliort. 

I.  The  yoke  of  Chrifl  may  be  faid  to  be  eafy  and  his 
burden  light,  becaufe  his  right  to  command  is  undeniable, 
the  authority  with  which  he  is  invefied,  is  complete  and 
full.  I  have  placed  this  firft  becaufe  it  lies  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  religion,  and  is  nodiin.n;  elfe  but  the  fupreme 
authority  and  abfolute  dominion  of  Jehovah.  We  all  na- 
turally think  it  hard  to  fiibmit  to  ufurped  authority,  or  un- 
jull  dominion,  but  v/hcn  the  title  to  command  is  clear,  obe- 
dience immediately  appears  tobe  realbnable  andnecelfary, 
and  becomes  our  unfeigned  choice,  or  the  defire  of  the 
jieart.  Thus,  nothing  can  be  more  clear  than  the  right 
of  our  Maker  to  the  obedience  and  fubmiflion  of  all  his 
creatures.  It  is  the  fenfe  of  this  carried  home  upon  die 
confcicnce  that  gives  the  firft  rife  to  convi£lion  of  fm.  A 
difcovcry  of  the  pov/er  and  majefty  of  the  living  God,  lays 
the  creature  in  the  duft,  and  produces  fubjeftion.  But 
when  to  this  is  added,  that  he  is  Lord  and  proprietor  of 
all ;  that  all  things  were  made  by  him,  and  for  him,  then 
fin  appears  in  the  light  of  injuftice  and  rebellion,  and  obe- 
dience, abfolute  and  unconditional  is  felt  to  be  his  due. 
Believe  it  my  brethren,  when  the  revolted  creature  re- 
turns to  his  allegiance  ;  when  the  convinced  finner  fees 
the  guilt  of  his  rebellion,  it  at  once  reconciles  him  to  the 
law,  and  makes  him  willing  to  put  on  the  yoke. 

The  fame  thing  is  a  conftant  and  growing  principle 
of  obedience  to  the  believer.  Ke  fees  that  he  is  not  his 
own.  He  perceives  and  admits  his  Creator's  and  Re- 
deemer's right.  He  is  convinced,  that  as  all  things  were 
made  for,  as  all  things  fliall  finally  tend  to,  fo  that  every 
intelligent  creature  ought  fupremely  to  aim  at  the  glory  of 
God.  It  is  this  radient  principle  that  chiefly  conftitutes 
the  difference  between  genuine  obedience,  and  that  con- 
firained  leryice  which  may  be  fometimes  falfely  io  called. 


^^S  The  Toke  of  Christ,      , 

Hence  it  is  that  true  obedience  is  confidered  as  a  debt  that 
is  due  to  God,  falfe  obedience  on  the  contrary  is  confi- 
dered as  a  debt  charged  upon  God.  The  real  chriftian  is 
happy  in  fo  far  as  he  is  able  to  obey,  and  fincerely  grieves 
for  any  remaining  backwardnefs  and  relu£tancc  in  his 
mind.  The  yoke  may  well  be  faid  to  be  eafy,  when  he 
is  brought  to  that  temper  and  difpofition,  that  it  is  not 
what  he  does,  but  what  he  omits,  that  fills  him  with  grief, 
or  covers  him  with  fhame. 

2.  The  Redeemer's  yoke  is  eafy  and  his  burden  light, 
becaufe  all  his  commands  are  in  themfelves  perfeftly  juft 
and  right.  It  is  hard  indeed,  to  be  obliged  to  do  what  we 
cannot  approve,  and  fo  long  as  the  finner  has  any  objec- 
tion againfl:  the  law,  obedience  muft  be  a  burden.  But 
every  renewed  mind  obtains  a  difcovery  of  the  infinite 
amiablenefs  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  excellence  and 
perfection  of  the  divine  law-  The  law  is  holy,  fays  the 
Apoftle,  Romans  7.  "  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and 
*'  the  commandment  holy,  and  juft  and  good."  The  law 
of  God,  is  a  tranfcript  of  his  own  infinite  excellence,  and 
therefore  mufi:  be  perfedl  and  faultlefs.  We  may  take  up 
this  matter  in  a  very  fimple,  and  at  the  fame  time  clear 
and  confpicuous  point  of  view.  The  fum  of  the  moral 
law  is,  "  Thou  fhalt  love,"  &c.  The  whole  is  contained 
under  thefe  heads,  efpecially  the  firft  of  them,  from  which 
the  other  is  a  corollary.  Is  there  any  thing  more  mani- 
feftJy  reafonable,  than  that  we  fliould  love  fupremely,  what 
is  fupremely  excellent  ?  or  where  is  the  rival,  that  can 
plead  a  better  title  to  our  affeQion.  If  he  hath  com- 
manded us  to  love  what  was  not  amiable,  or  to  do  what 
was  not  reafonable,  there  would  have  been  ground  for 
complaint.  If  we  take  the  fenfe  of  the  fecond  table,  by 
itfelf,  v/e  fnall  fee  the  fame  thing  very  plainly, "  Thou 
*'  fnalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf ;"  or  which  is  the 
fame  thing,  *'  whatfoever  ye  would,  that  men  do  unto 
*'  you,  do  ye  the  fame  unto  them."  Is  this  unreafonable  ? 
Is  any  man's  reafon  fo  perverted,  or  his  confcience  fo  de- 
praved, as  to  complain  of  this,  as  an  unjuft,  or  opprefr 
five  law.  There  are  fome  who  talk  upon  this  fubjedt,  in 
fuch  a  manner,  as  we  may  truly  fay  of  them,  with  the 


The  Vuke  of  Christ,  557 

apoRle,  *'  They  Ipeul:  of  the  law,  and  know  neither  what 
"  they  lay,  nor  whereof  they  aflh-ni ;"  and  they  will  lay,  our 
Saviour  has  made  merciful  abatements  of  the  law.  Pray 
has  he  made  any  abatement  of  the  love  of  God,  and  of  our 
neighbor  ?  Would  you  be  fatislied  to  hear  any  man  trace 
out  a  Ivihem  of  moral  duty,  and  make  any  alteration  in 
thele  ?  Yet  they  are  the  whole  in  fubllance  ;  wherever 
thefe  are,  every  thing  will  follow  of  courfc.  If  you  love 
God  fuuiemely,  and  your  neighbor  as  yourfelvcs,  you  will 
neglect  no  duty  to  the  one  or  to  the  other. 

When  I  am  upon  this  branch  of  the  I'ubjefl,  the  rca- 
fonablenels  of  God's  connnands,  it  v/ill  be  proper  to  obvi- 
ate an  apparent,  and  at  the  fame  time,  an  important  ob- 
jection. You  will  perhaps  fay,  to  keep  the  connnands 
of  God,  is  above  our  power.  Have  not  you  yourfelf, 
often  taught  us,  that  no  mere  man  in  this  life,  is  able  per- 
fectly to  keep  the  commandments  of  God.  Can  that  be 
rcafonable  then  that  is  impolhble  ?  Now  confider  I  pray 
you  what  fort  of  impoflibility  this  is.  It  is  not  natural, 
but  moral.  It  is  not  want  of  power,  but  want  of  inclina- 
tion. Nothing  is  required  of  us  that  is  unfuitable  to  our 
fituation,  or  above  our  natural  powers  ;  fo  for  from  it,  that 
even  what  was  our  duty  before,  if  by  any  accident  it  be- 
comes impoilible  in  this  fenfe,  it  ceafes  to  be  a  duty.  God 
no  where  commands  you  to  be  taller  or  llronger,  than  he 
has  made  you :  and  though  he  connnands  you  to  labor, 
working  with  your  hands,  if  he  confines  you  by  licknefs, 
this  duty  no  longer  binds.  Me  has  given  you  faculties,  and 
natural  powers  for  every  thing  that  he  requires.  Are  not 
all  your  powers,  both  of  mind  and  body,  as  lit  for  your 
Maker's  fcrvice,  as  any  other  purpofe  ?  Is  not  the  tongue 
as  fit  to  fpeak  truth,  as  falfehood  :  and  every  member  of 
the  body  as  lit  to  do  what  is  lawful  or  ufeful,  as  what  is 
finful  or  hurtful :  The  commands  of  God,  then,  are  nei- 
ther impoffible  nor  diflicult  to  thole,  who  are  wiHin;jj  to 
obey  them.  No  man  can  fay  with  truth,  that  he  delired 
with  all  his  heart,  do  his  Maker's  will,  and  could  not.  BuL 
perhaps  fomc  v/ill  fay,  this  indifpofition  itfelf,  is  my  nature, 
I  cannot  help  it.  If  any  think  this  excufe  may  be  offered 
to  God,  let  him  firlt  make  trial  of  offering  it  to  his  fcUoYV 

Vol.  II.  4  A 


^^B  The  7*oke  of  Christ, 

creature ;  or  fuppofe  another  to  offer  it  to  himfelf.  Sup", 
pofe  you  lliould  complain  of  another,  for  ftealing  youf 
fubftance,  or  blafting  your  name,  or  otherwife  injuring 
you ;  and  that  he  fliould  anfwer,  that  he  could  not  help  it* 
What,  you  would  fay,  you  could  not  help  it ;  what  necef- 
fity  obliged  you  ?  Why  fays  he,  it  was  my  nature,  becaufe 
I  hate  you,  and  it  grieves  me  to  fee  you  profper.  Would 
that  be  accepted  as  an  excufe  ?  I  think  not ;  for  it  is  the 
very  effence  of  the  injury.  On  the  whole,  it  plainly  ap- 
pears, that  the  commands  of  God,  are  all  reafonable  and 
jufl,  neither  can  they  fuffer  any  abatement,  without  in-^ 
fringing  upon  the  holinefs  of  his  own  nature,  and  the  wif- 
dom  and  equity  of  his  government  itfelf. 

3.  The  Redeemer's  yoke  is  eafy,  and  his  burden  light, 
becaufe  all  his  commands  have  an  immediate  and  direct 
tendency  to  promote  our  own  comfort  and  happinefs. 
They  are  not  lefs  reafonable  as  they  exprefs  the  right  of 
the  Creator,  than  they  are  gracious,  as  they  are  calculated 
to  promote  the  interell  of  the  creature.  I  do  not  mean 
here,  only  or  chiefly,  the  great  reward  which  he  hath  in 
mercy  provided  and  promifed  to  thofe,  that  keep  them, 
but  that  in  their  own  nature,  they  are  fitted  to  promote 
our  happinefs. 

I  have  before  fufficiently  taken  notice,  that  we  are  not 
to  underlland,  by  keeping  the  commands  of  God,  a  con- 
ftrained  outward  obedience,  without  the  inclination  of  the 
heart.  Conftrained  obedience,  I  confefs,  is  neither  accept- 
able to  God,  nor  delightful  to  man.  But  when  the  fervice 
of  God,  is  chofen  from  the  heart,  it  is  both  delightful  and 
profitable  in  all  refpeds.  If  we  examine  the  matter  with 
care,  we  ihall  find,  that  true  religion  confilts  in  the  exer- 
cife  of  the  mofl:  noble  and  grateful  affections  of  mind,  ot 
rather  the  one  leading  difpofition,  which  when  rightly  di- 
refted  as  to  its  objedl,  makes  the  fum  of  religion,  and  is  alfo 
the  fource  of  felicity.  It  is  love,  fupreme  love  to  God, 
and  through  him,  and  for  him,  to  all  his  creatures,  is  the 
ium  of  religion,  and  mull  not  every  body  be  fenfible,  that 
this  is  a  temper  and  frame  of  mind,  much  more  defirable, 
than  its  oppofite.  Carry  the  one  and  the  other,  through 
all  their  branches  and  expreffions,  and  fee  if 'they  will  bear 


Tloe  Toke  of  Christ,  359 

the  comparlfon.  From  love  fpring  thankfulnefs,  content- 
ment, llibmifllon,  benevolence,  beneficence,  mceknefs, 
compafTion,  forgivenefs  ;  and  from  hatred  fpring  ambi- 
tion, rage,  impatience,  malevolence,  envy,  revenge  and 
cruelty.  If  there  were  no  law  of  God  at  all,  which  of 
thofe  tribes  of  affections  is  moft  defirable  of  itfelf,  or  moil 
conducive  to  our  inward  comfort  and  peace  ? 

If  we  try  this  matter  by  experience,  let  us  afk  the 
children  of  God,  whether  they  have  found  his  fervice 
burdenfome  ;  whedicr  they  would  exchange  a  meek, 
thankful,  and  contented  frame  of  fpirit,  for  the  llorms  of 
rage,  envy,  or  ambition.  Do  they  look  widi  a  jealous  or 
envious  eye,  on  the  liberty  of  wicked  men  ?  on  the  con- 
trary, they  would  not  exchange  with  any  of  them,  a  prifon 
for  a  palace,  or  a  fcaffold  for  a  throne.  Perhaps,  though 
there  is  great  blindnefs  in  the  underflanding  itfelf  of  wick- 
ed men,  we  may  learn  the  truth  even  from  their  experi- 
ence and  confeffions.  We  many  times  hear  them  ac- 
knowledge their  bondage  ;  and  when  they  do  not  expli- 
citly acknowledge  it,  yet  it  is  eafy  to  perceive  it.  You 
never  hear  a  bad  man  taking  comfort  to  himfelf,  from  the 
evil  he  has  done,  but  fometimes  comparatively  from  the 
greater  evil  that  they  have  not  done.  Without  going  par- 
ticularly through  every  minute  circumflance,  let  us  juft 
fay  in  general,  that  whether  v\'e  confider  the  inward  tem- 
per, or  the  outward  practice,  our  relations,  bufincfs,  and 
enjoyments  in  life,  or  hope  for  futurity,  we  cannot  in 
any  inflance  depart  from  the  commandments  of  God, 
without  at  die  fame  time  adling  contrary  to  our  own  ma- 
nifeft  intereft :  fo  that  Wifdom  fays  with  great  truth  and 
jullice,  Prov.  viii.  36.  "  He  that  fmneth  againft  me, 
"  wrongeth  his  own  foul  :  all  they  diat  hate  me  love 
"  death." 

4.  The  Redeemer's  yoke  is  eafy,  and  his  burden  light, 
becaufe  he  has  given  the  moft  free  and  gracious  invita- 
tion to  finners  to  return  to  God.  By  his  fufferings  he 
purchafed  their  pardon,  and  is  inverted  with  full  authority 
to  negociate  peace.  "  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  be-. 
"  hoved  him  to  fuffer,  that  repentance  and  remiflion  of 
*'  fms,"  8^c.     What  we  are  particularly  to  remember  up- 


560  The  T^ke  of  Christ. 

©n  this  fubjCifl,  is  that  the  invitation  is  without' refer vc  or 
exception,  to  all  of  every  charadter,  however  deep  and  ag- 
gravated their  offences.  If.  i.  18.  "  Come  now,  and  let 
*'  us  reafon  together,  faith  the  Lord :  though  your  fms  be 
"  as  fcarlet,  they  faall  be  as  white  as  fnow  ;  thou^'h  they 
"  be  red  like  crimfon,  they  fliall  be  as  wool."  i  Tim.  i. 
15.  "  This  is  a  faithful  faying,  and  worthy  of  all  accep- 
"  tation,  tliat  Chrift  Jefus  came  into  the  world  to  fave  lin- 
"  ners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  The  offer  is  alfo  free  as 
to  the  terms,  without  any  coftly  or  meriting  condition. 
If.  ^^.  I.  "  Ho  every  one  that  thirfteth,  come  ye  to  the 
"  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye,  buy  and 
"  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money  and 
"  without  price."  Rev.  xxii.  17.  "  And  the  fpirit  and 
"  the  bride  fay,  come  ;  and  let  him  that  heareth  fay,  come  ; 
*'  and  let  him  that  is  athirfl  come ;  and  whofoever  Vv^ill, 
"  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Can  there  be  any 
thing  more  encouraging  than  thefe  gracious  invitations  ? 
Here  it  is  that  we  ought  to  take  in  the  wife  and  happy 
conflitution  of  the  Redeemer's  perfon,  as  the  fun  of  man, 
as  well  as  the  fon  of  God,  and  the  meeknefs  and  gentle- 
nefs  of  his  difpofition,  this  was  prophefied  of  him  of  old. 
Ifaiah  xlii.  1,  2,  3.  "  Behold  my  fervant  whom  I  uphold; 
"  mine  ele6l,  in  whom  my  foul  delighteth:  I  have  put  my 
"  fpirit  upon  him,  he  fliall  bring  forth  judgment  to  the 
"  Gentiles.  He  Ihall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor  caufe  his 
*'  his  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  llreet.  A  bruifed  reed  fliall 
"  he  not  break ;  and  the  fmoaking  flax  fliall  he  not 
"  quench :  he  fliall  bring  forth  judgment  unto  truth." 
This  was  beautifully  and  admirably  fulfilled  by  his  ap- 
pearance in  the  flefli,by  the  meannefs  of  his  birth,  though 
not  of  his  parentage,  by  the  poverty  and  felf-denial  of  his 
life,  by  the  meeknefs  and  lowlinefs  of  his  carriage,  not 
only  through  life,  but  in  the  lafl  and  fuffering  flage  of  it ; 
for  he  endured  the  contradiftion  of  fmners  againft  himfelf; 
when  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again.  So  that  he 
might  with  the  greateft  jufiice  fay  as  in  the  context  take 
my  }^oke. 

5.  The  Redeemer's  yoke  is  eafy,  and  his  burden  light, 
becaufe    he   hath   made   abundant   provifion   of  divine 


The  Take  of  Christ.  561 

firength,  to  enable  us  to  keep  his  commandments.  How 
pjracioLis  tbcfe  laws,  when  the  law-giver  communicates 
firength  for  performance.  This  takes  away  all  objetlion, 
and  removes  every  dilllculty.  Vrhat  is  impoflible  with 
man,  is  poilible  Viith  God.  There  is  no  heart  fb  hard,  but 
omnipotence  is  able  to  foftcn  it ;  no  temper  fo  depraved, 
but  the  Creator  is  able  to  renew  it.  The  converlion  of 
a  fmner  is  always  confidered  in  fcripture  as  the  work  of 
God.  "  God  v.'ho  at  firft  commended  the  light  to  fliine  out 
"  ofdarkncfs,"  Sec.  Thepromife  of  the  new  covenant  is  thus 
defcribed  by  Ezekiel  xxxvi.  25.  *'  Then  will  I  fprinkle 
"■  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  fliall  be  clean  :  from  all 
"  your  filthinels,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanfe 
"  you."  And  in  the  New  Tedament,  iaith  which  unites 
us  to  Chrift,  and  everv  other  good  difpofition  is  reprefcnted 
as  the  gift  of  God,  Eph.  ii.  8.  "  For  by  grace  are  ye 
*'  faved,  through  failh  ;  and  that  not  of  yourfelves  :  it  is 
"  the  gift  of  God." 

And  as  the  converfion  of  finners  to  the  daily  growth 
of  the  fpiritual  life,  in  believers,  is  to  be  imputed  entirely 
to  the  fame  caufe,  for  this  end  it  was,  that  it  pleafcd  tlie 
Father  that  all  fullnefs  ihould  dwell  in  Chrill ;  and  we 
liave  this  teftimony  from  the  apollle  John  i.  16.  "  And  of 
*'  his  fulnefs  have  all  we  rcrei\'ed,  and  grace  for  grace.'* 


C   563   3 


I  •<>••  000*  oM*  o«o»  0000  (DOT  MM  aoM  MM  WM  oon  oooe  ooeo  cam  MM  o*u  (Ooa  ooM  oseo  Moa  ooes  coca  eoM  000k 

lOOMOOOO  000*  oaoo  0000  0000  MOO  0030  MM  VIOCC' 00  0000  eOMSOaOoeOO  0000  0009  COOO  0000  0900  OOOe  000*  OOM  CM* 


The  glory    of  the   REDEEMER   in  the 
PERPETUITY  OF  HIS  WORK. 


SERMON. 


Psalm  Ixxii.  17. 


I 


His  name  shall  endure  forever :  bis  name  shall  he  conti- 
nued as  long  as  the  sun  :  and  men  shall  be  blessed  in 
him ;  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed. 


action  sermon* 
My  Brethren, 


THE  whole  fyftem  of  Providence  and  grace  was  fix* 
ed  on  the  eternal  purpofe  of  God,  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world.  Hence  he  is  reprefented,  If.  xlvi. 
io.  as,  "  declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from 
"  ancient  times  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done,  faying, 
*^  My  counfel  il-iall  ftand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleafure." 
The  writings  of  the  Old  Teltament  give  us  the  hiftory^  of 
the  feveral  openings  of  this  plan,  during  that  difpenfation, 
in  which  we  may  obferve  almoft  continual  references  to 
the  appearance  of  an  illuftrious  perfon,  at  a  certain  im- 
portant period,  called  the  fulnefs  of  time. 


564  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

The  appearance  of  the  Saviour  in  our  nature,  including - 
his  obedience,  his  fufFerings,  and  death,  his  triumphant 
refurrection  and  afcenfion,  was  an  event  io  aftonilhing 
in  itfelf,  and  lb  great  in  its  efledls,  as  being  the  means  ap- 
pointed of  God  lor  the  redemption  of  a  lol!  world,  that  v/e 
need  not  be  furprifed  at  the  great  care  taken  in  the  Old 
Teftament  church  to  keep  it  always  in  view.  It  was  na- 
tural for  holy  and  good  men,  wlio  had  fo  many  intimations 
given  them  of  it,  to  think  on  it  with  pleafure  ;  and  when 
they  were  led  to  fpeak  of  future  times,  to  bring  in  this  re- 
markable period,  and  mention  it  with  rapture.  And 
when  God  infpired  his  fervants  to  prophecy  of  the  prof- 
perity  and  happinefs  of  his  church  and  kingdom,  he  could 
not  fail  to  raife  their  delcriptions,  and  lead  them  to  give 
fuch  views  of  things  as  were  fuitable  to  that  great  event^ 
which  was  to  be  fuch  a  fignal  illuitration  of  his  glorious 
goodnefs,  and  fo  great  a  blelling  to  mankind. 

Hence  it  is,  that  we  find  feveral  prophecies  begun,  in 
appearance,  to  celebrate  fome  public  bleffing,  at  or  near 
the  times  in  which  they  were  delivered,  gradually  fo  height- 
ened by  feveral  exprcllions,  as  we  may  perceive  that  in 
their  full  extent  they  could  only  relate  to  the  times  of  the 
Meffiah.  Such,  for  in(lance,is  that  in  my  text :  for  if  we  lay 
together  the  accounts  v/e  have  of  Solomon,  in  fcripture, 
iind  the  felicity  of  his  reign  ;  if  we  remember  the  fcanda- 
lous  ileps  lie  njade  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  the  dread- 
ful rent  that  happened  in  the  reign  of  his  fon  and  imme- 
diate fuccelTor  ;  and  that  after  the  courfe  of  a  few  ages, 
Judah  v/as  cai-ried  into  captivity, — we  muil  be  fenhble, 
that  the  expreffions  in  my  text,  are  by  far  too  much  exalt- 
ed, if  nothing  elle  was  intended  by  then).  But  if  we  con- 
fider  them  as  relating  to  Meffiah  the  Prince,  then  v;e  fee 
every  thing  literally  fulfilled  to  the  utmoft  import  and  ex- 
tent of  the  prophetic  language,  "  His  name  lliaX  endure 
*'  forever  :  his  name  fhall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  fun  j 
^'  and  men  Ihall  be  bleiled  in  him  ;  all  nations  Ihall  call 
*'  him  bleffed." 

It  is  below  the  majefty  of  the  fcriptures,  to  make  ufe  of 
ilrong  and  lolly  expreflions  to  denote  a  very  common  and 
ordinary  event,  to  which  they  cannot  be  applied  widiout 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  iVorh.  565 

making  great  abatements.  This  is  a  fault  men  often  fall 
into;  but  it  would  be  very  unjuil  to  impute  it  to  perfoiTS 
{peaking  under  the  immediate  influence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  We  may  therefore  lay  it  down  as  one  good  rnle 
for  underftanding  the  prophetic  writings,  that  whenever 
they  rife  far  above  the  fubjeft  they  were  treating  of,  into 
expreffions  literally  applicable  to  the  Meffiah,  and  which, 
in  their  full  extent,  can  belong  to  none  but  him,  he  i-s  to 
be  confidered  as  chiefly  in  the  view  of  the  Spirit  of  Qod. 
Now,  this  being  the  cafe  with  my  text,  as  I  hope  appears 
Sufficiently  from  what  has  been  already  faid,  I  fliall  confi- 
der  it  as  a  noble  and  animated  prophecy  of  the  glory  of 
his  reign ;  which  will  be  the  more  proper  introdudlion  to 
this  day's  work,  as  what  we  are  now  to  be  employed  about 
is  an  eminent  part  of  its  accomplifhment. 

In  difcourfing  further  on  it  at  prefent,  I  fliall  circum- 
fcribe  the  fubjcft,  and  only, 

I.  Endeavor  to  open  the  import  of  this  magni5cent  de- 
claration, as  underftood  of  Ghriil,  "  His  name  fliall  endure 
-"  forever,"  &c. 

IT.  To  make  fome  practical  improvement  of  the  fub- 
ject,  for  your  inllrudlion  and  aflifl:ance  in  the  prefeat  dut;'. 

Firfl:,  then,  let  us  endeavor  to  open  the  import  of  this 
magnificent  declaration  as  underflood  of  Ghriil.  His  name 
Ihall  endure  for  ever,  &c.  and  in  the  firfl  place  it   carries 
in  it  an  affurance  of  the  greatnefs  of  his  power  as  a  Saviour, 
andtheperfejQifecurityof  allthofewho  puttheirtruflinhini. 
The  word  name  often  fignifies  the  excellence  or  perfedion 
of  the  perfbn  named  or  referred  to.     This  is  efpecially 
the  cafe  in  fcripture,  with  refpe^t  to  God,  where  his  name 
is  jull,  his  glory  and  all  fufficiency  is  revealed.  The  name 
of  the  Lord  is  in  many  piilfages  of  equivalent  meajiing  withi. 
the  power  of  God  :    thus,  Prov.  xviii.  10.  "  The  nam^ti: 
"  of  the  Lord  is  a  flrong  tower  ;  the  righteous  runneth  iiai  . 
*'  to  it,   and  is  fafe."     Pfal.  x-.  i.  "  The  Lord  hear  thee 
*'  in  the  day  of  trouble  ;  tlie  name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  uc- 
"  fend  thee."     This  may  wiih  the  greater  propriety,  h» 
applied  to  Chrifl:,  that  you  may  knowthe  name  of  Jefus,  v'lis. 
by  the  exprefs  apix>intmem  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  c'vtn^ 

Vol.  II.  4  B 


5 66  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

to  him  at  his  birth,  to  denote  the  great  deliverance  he 
was  to  work  for  iinners,  in  faving  them  from  their  fins. 
This  is  the  great  errand  on  which  the  Son  of  God  came 
into  the  world,  i  Tim.  i.  15.  ^' This  is  a  faithful  faying, 
"  and  v\^orthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Chrill  Jefus  came  in- 
"  to  the  world  to  fave  finners ;  of  v/hom  I  am  chief."  The 
fuccefs  he  Ihouldhave  in  this  work  is  often  celebrated,  as 
Ifaiah  liii.  10,  11.  "  Yet  it  pleafed  the  Lord  to  bruife  him; 
"  he  hath  put  him  to  grief :  when  thou  flialt  make  his  foul 
*'  an  offering  for  fm,  he  fliall  fee  his  feed,  he  fliall  pro- 
"  long  his  days,  and  the  pleafure  of  the  Lord  fliall  profper 
"  in  his  hand.  He  fnallfee  of  the  travail  of  his  foul,  and 
"  Ihall  be  fatisfied  :  by  his  knowledge  fliall  my  righteous 
"  fervant  juftify  many  ;  for  he  fliall  bear  their  iniquities." 
His  power  as  a  Saviour,  to  break  the  charms  of  Satan, 
and  to  deliver  the  captive  foul,  is  frequently  declared  in 
the  llrongeft  terms,  as  Ifaiah  xlii.  6,  7,  8.  "  I  the  Lord 
"  have  called  thee  in  righteoufnefs,  and  I  will  hold  thine 
*'  hand,  and  v/ill  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant 
*'  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles  ;  to  opei>  the 
*'  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prifoners  from  the  prifon, 
"  and  them  that  fit  in  darknefs  out  of  the  prifon-houfe.  I 
"  am  the  Lord ;  that  is  my  name  :  and  my  glory  will  I 
"  not  give  to  another,  neither  my  praife  to  graven  images." 
Ifaiah  Ixiii.  i.  "  "Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with 
*'  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his 
"  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatnefs  of  his  flrength  ?  I 
*'  that  fpeak  in  righteoufnefs,  mighty  to  fave."  This 
power  of  Chrifl:  to  fave,  feems  to  be  plainly  called  his  name, 
I  John  iii.  23.  "  And  this  is  his  commandment,  that  we 
*■  Ihould  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jefus  Chrift,  and 
"  love  one  another,  as  he  gave  iis  commandment."  Thus 
it  is  reafonable  to  think,  that  the  power  of  Chrift  as  a  Savi. 
our  is  celebrated  in  our  text,  as  what  would  ever  remain 
a  lure  and  plentiful  fource  of  falvation  to  mankind,  and 
be  ever  depended  upon  and  acknowledged  as  fuch,  by  all 
the  redeemed. 

This  glory  of  Ghrift's  name  as  a  Saviour,  has  a  particu- 
lar refped  to  the  wretched  and  deplorable  fl:ate  of  thofe, 
v/ho  are  the  objeds  of  his  mercy.     That  there  are  none 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  Work,  51^7 

beyond  the  reach  of  his  power.  That  there  Is  none  fo 
loaded  witii  guilt  or  fo  flained  with  pollution,  but  he  is  able 
to  purchafe  their  pardon,  and  to  efic^l  their  deliverance. 
Perfons  you  know  afilicted  with  inveterate  and  dangerous 
difeafes,  are  apt  to  hearken  with  eagerncfs  to  the  name  of 
an  eminent  phyfician,  from  whofe  f]<ill  they  may  enter- 
tain fome  hopes  of  recovery,  and  the  greater  and  more  il- 
luftrious  his  nanie  is,  they  are  apt  to  place  the  greater  con- 
fidence in  him.  So  when  we  hear  that  Chriil's  name  fliall 
endure  for  ever,  it  fliould  encourage  all  finners  of  whate- 
ver rank  to  fly  to  him,  and  to  put  their  trufc  in  him.  God 
reafons  thus  in  illuftratinghis  own  mercy,  Ifiiali  i.  18,  19. 
"  Come  now,  and  let  us  realbn  together,  laith  the  Lord  ; 
"  though  your  fms  be  as  fcarlet,  they  fliall  be  as  white  as 
"  fnow  ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimfcn,  they  fliall  be  as 
"  wool.  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  lliall  eat  tlic 
"  good  of  the  land:''  and  to  the  fame  purpofe,  Jf.  Iv.  7, 
"  Let  the  wicked  forfake  his  Ava,y,  and  the  unrighteous 
*'  man  his  thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  tl>e  Lord, 
"  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God» 
*'  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  But  he  hath  given  us 
ftill  greater  encouragement,  by  committing  the  v/ork 
of  our  falvation  to  fo  glorious  a  perfon,  in  whofe  hand  it 
cannot  fail,  Pfal.  Ixxxix.  18,  19.  "  For  the  Lord  is  our 
"  defence ;  and  the  holy  One  of  Ifrael  is  our  King.  Then 
"  thou  fpakefl  in  vifion  to  the  holy  One,  and  faidft,  I  have 
*'  laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty  :  I  have  exalted  one 
*'  chofen  out  of  the  people."  Ifaiah  ix.  6.  "  For  unto  us 
"  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  fon  is  given,  and  the  govcrn- 
"  ment  fhall  be  upon  his  fhouldcr ;  and  his  name  fliall 
"  be  called  Wonderful,  Counfellor,  The  mighty  God, 
"  The  everlailing  Father,  The  Prince  of  peace."  Not  to 
infift  on  the  many  palTages  of  the  New  Teflament,  which 
point  our  attention  to  the  power  and  dignity  of  Clu-ift, 
i  fr.all  only  mention,  Heb.  vii.  25.  "  Wherefore  he  is 
"  able  alfo  to  flxve  them  to  the  uttermofl  that  come  unto 
"  God  by  him,  feeing  he  ever  iiveth  to  niake  interceflion 
"  for  them." 

I  fliall  only  further  fay,  that  the  glory  of  Chrift's  name, 
as  an  almighty  Saviour,  ma)'  be  confidered  in  its  fupcrior 


y6^  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

liifcre  to  every  thing  that  might  be  fuppofed  to.  come  iiii 
competition  with  him,  or  pretend  to  be  put  in  this  place^ 
This  is  certainly  the  meaning  of  a  great  name,  when  ap- 
plied to  men.  He  is  faid  to  obtain  the  greateft  name^ 
who  outftrips  or  eclipfes  otliers  by  the  glory  of  his  deeds  ; 
the  fame  muPc  be  the  meaning  of  this  paflage,  as  appHed 
to  our  Redeemer  ;  "  his  name  fliall  endure  for  ever." 
The  names  of  others  fliall  foon  be  loil.  Their  inferior 
bi'jghtnefs  Vv^ll  foon  decay  :  but  his  fliall  continue  for  ever 
Vv'ith  unfading  and  increafmg  luftre. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  a  circumRance  that  ought  never 

to-be  omitted.     We  cannot  honor  Chrifl  as  an  almighty 

Saviour,  unlefs  we  believe  and  remember,  that  he  is  the 

only  Saviour.     There  are  fome  paffages  in  the  prophetic 

v/ritings,  in  which  God  alTerts  his  own  incommunicable 

glory,  in   oppofition  to  the  vanities  of  the  Gentiles-,  and 

that  in  language  inimitably  ftrong,  Ifa.  xl.  17,  18.  "^  All 

*•'  nations  before  him  are  as  nothing,  and  they  are  counted 

"  to  him  lefs  than  nothing,  and  vanity.     To  whom  then 

••'  will  ye  liken  God  ?  or  what  likenefs  will  ye  compare 

"  unto  him  ?''  Ifa.  xliii.   10,  11,   12,  13.  "  Ye  are  my 

"  witneffes,  faith  the  Lord,  and  my  fervant  whom  I  have 

"  chofen  :  that  ye  may  know  and  believe  me,  and  under- 

*'  ftand  that  I  am  he  :  before  me  there  was  no  God  form-. 

"  ed,  neither  fliall  there  be  after  me.     I,  even  I  am  the 

"  Lord,   and  befide  me  there  is  no  Saviour.     I  have  de- 

"  Glared  and  have  faved,  and  I  have  fliewed,  when  there 

"  was  no  itrange  God  among  you:  therefore  ye  are  my 

"  witneffes,  faith  the  Lord,  that  I  am  God.     Yea,  before 

i'*-  the  day  was,  I  am  he  ;  and  there  is  none  that  can  deli- 

;*^  ver  out  of  my  hand  :   I  will  work,  and  who  Ihall  let  it  ?" 

Hef*  xiii.  4.   "  Yet  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  from  the  land 

*'  of  Egypt,  and  thou  flialt  know  no  God  but  me :  for 

"  there  is  no  faviour  beiide  me."  The  fame  peculiar  and 

exclufive  honor  belongs  to  Chrift,  as  the  hope  of  fmners, 

Afts  iv.  12.   "  Neither  is  there  falvation  in  any  other  : 

"  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among 

*'  men  whereby  v/e  mufl  be  faved." 

I  might  illullrate  this  fenfe  of  the  paffage  before  us,  by 
^ev/ing  you  that  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  au^ 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  bis  JVbtk.  569 

cient  dtfpenfation,  derived  their  efficacy  from  dieir  rela- 
tion to  Chrift.  But  I  fhall  only  tell  you,  that  all  the  de- 
pendance  whicii  you  place  upon  any  thing  elfe  for  your 
acceptance  with  God,  is  an  injury  to  the  honor  of  your 
Redeemer;  that  all  felf-righteoufnefs  and  felf-depcndance, 
to  which  there  is  in  man  by  nature  fo  llrong  a  tendency, 
obfcures  the  lullre  of  that  name  which  fliall  endure  for- 
ever. That  as  he  is  able  to  fave  linncrs,  to  the  utiermoft, 
fo  they  fliall  never  obtain  falvation,  but  by  him..  As  it  is 
he  who  laid  the  foundation  of  this  great  work,  who  carries 
it  on  through  all  the  fleps  of  its  progrefs,  and  at  lall  brings 
it  to  perfedtion,  fo  he  will  have,  and  why  Ihould  he  not 
have,  the  undivided  glory. 

2.  This  leads  me  to  obferve,  that  the  magnificent  de- 
claration in  the  text,  concerning  Chrill,  implies  the  im^ 
mortal  honor  and  renown  which  he  would  iicauire  bv  the 
work  of  man's  redemption.  Every  one  knows,  that  in 
fcripture  liyle,  to  get  a  name  is  to  acquire  renown  and 
glory,  by  fome  illuflrious  achievement  ;  as  2  Sam.  viii. 
13.  "  And  David  gat  him  a  name  when  he  returned  from 
"  fmiting  of  the  Syrians  in  the  valley  of  Salt,  being 
"  eighteen  thoufand  men." 

And  furely,  my  brethren,  the  undertaking  of  Chrifl; 
was  the  mod  glorious  in  itlelf,  the  moil  arduous  in  its  ac- 
complifliment,  the  mofl  bleffed  in  its  efledts,  and  the  mod 
generous  and  difuitereiled  in  him,  that  can  poflibly  be  con- 
ceived. Think  on  this  part  of  the  fubjeft,  1  befeechyou, 
with  attention ;  and  weigh  the  intimations  we  have  of  it 
in  fcripture.  And  for  this  purpofe  obferve,  that  he  ac- 
quired glory  with  God,  with  angels,  and  with  men. 

As  the  falvation  of  finners  was  a  work  in  which  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father,  was  eminently  illullrated,  fo  he 
is  reprefented  as  looking  with  the  higheft  complacency  on 
Chrill,  in  the  undertaking  and  accomplifhment  of  it. 
Thus  Math.  iii.  17.  "  And  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  fay- 
"  ing,  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleaf- 
>"  ed."  And  again,  at  his  transfiguration.  Math.  xvii.  5. 
'•'  And  while  he  yet  fpake,  behold,  a  bright  cloud  overlha- 
*■'  dowedtheni :  and  behold  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which 
-  faid,   This   is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 


57^  1'ks  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

"  pleafed  ;  hear  ye  him."  If.  xhi.  i.  "  Behold  my  fer- 
*'  vant  whom  I  uphold,  mine  eled  in  whom  my  foul  dc- 
*'  lighteth  :  I  have  put  my  fpirit  upon  him,  he  Ihall  bring 
*'  forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles."  We  fee  alfo,  that 
God  is  reprefented  as  having  put  the  higheft  honor  on  the 
Redeemer,  in  reward  of  his  fufferings.  Phil,  ii,  9, 10, 11. 
*'  Wherefore  God  hath  alfo  highly  exalted  him,  and  given 
"  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  at  the  name 
"  of  Jefus  every  knee  Ihould  bow,  of  things  in  heaven, 
"  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth  ;  and 
"  that  every  tongue  lliould  confefs  that  Jefus  Chrill:  is 
*'  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  Heb.  ii.  9. 
"  But  we  fee  Jefus,  Avho  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the 
*'  angels  for  the  fufferings  of  death,  crowned  with  glory 
"  and  honor ;  tliat  he  by  the  grace  of  God  fhould  tafte 
"  death  for  every  man."  See  alfo  Heb.  xii.  2.  "  Look- 
"  ing  unto  Jefus,  the  author  and  finilher  of  our  faith  ; 
*'  who,  for  the  joy  that  was  fet  before  him,  endured  the 
"  crofs,  defpifuig  the  lliame,  and  is  fet  down  at  the  right 
"  hand  of  the  throne  of  God." 

I  am  fenfible,  my  brethren,  that  this  delight  and  ap- 
probation, which  the  Father  is  reprefented  as  expreffing 
in  the  undertaking  of  the  Son,  is  a  fubjefl  of  the  moft  ele- 
vated nature,  on  v/hich  we  ought  to  think  and  fpeak  with 
the  utmoft  veneration,  and  with  the  greateft  referve.  But 
fince  he  hath  revealed,  it  is  our  duty  to  improve  it.  Does 
k  not  carry  your  thoughts  naturally  to  that  expreffion  we 
find  ufed  in  fcripture,  at  the  finifliing  of  the  material 
creation,  mentioned  at  the  end  of  every  day's  work,  and 
repeated  on  a  review  of  the  whole.  Gen.  i.  31.  "  And 
','•  God  faw  every  thing  that  he  had  made,  and,  behold,  it 
"  was  very  good." 

We  muft  needs  conceive,  the  omnipotent  Jehovah,  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  as  pofleiTed  not  only  of  tibfo- 
lute  and  unchangeable  perfedlion,  but  of  infinite  and  in- 
conceivable felicity.  And  may  we  not,  mufi  we  not  con- 
ceive, that  this  felicity,  both  in  the  contemplation  and 
exercife  of  all  his  glorious  attributes,  and  in  nothing  more 
than  in  the  redemption  offrnners,  in  which  his  power, 
svifdom^   holinefs,  juftice  and   mercy,   are  fevcrally  and 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  Work.  571 

jointly  fo  confpicuoufly  difplayed.  Nay,  may  we  not 
venture,  with  reverence,  further  to  fay,  that  the  three  per- 
fons  in  the  Trinity,  by  their  diilindt  properties,  and  pecu- 
liar agency,  receive  and  impart  everlafting  delight  to  one 
another,  in  their  ineflablc  communion  !  The  eternal 
word  is  reprefented  as  faying,  Prov.  viii.  30.  "  Then  was 
"  I  by  him,  as  one  brought  up  with  him  ;  and  I  was  dai- 
*'  ly  hisdeligKt,  rejoicing  always  before  him.'' 

2.  The  Redeemer  acquired  immortal  renown  among  the 
angels,  and  the  whole  celeftial  hoft.  This  we  may  fpeak  of 
with  abundance  of  certainty,  and  xvith  yet  clearer  com- 
prehenfion.  Doubtlefs  their  happinefs  confills  in  the  vi- 
lion  and  contemplation  of  an  infinite  God.  And  there- 
fore the  manifeftation  and  exercife  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, both  in  Providence  and  grace,  adminifter  to  them 
matter  of  continual  and  increafmg  delight.  There  is 
a  beautiful  reprefentation  of  their  employment.  If.  vi.  i, 
2,  3.  "  In  the  year  that  king  Uzziah  died,  I  fiiw  alfo  the 
"  Lord  fitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his 
*'  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it  flood  the  feraphims  : 
"  each  one  had  fix  wings  :  with  twain  he  covered  his  face, 
"  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  did  he 
"  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another,  and  laid.  Holy,  holy, 
"  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hofls  ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
"  glory." 

Now  there  is  no  reafon  to  doubt  that  tlie  work  of  re- 
demption, in  all  its  parts,  in  which  they  themfelves  have 
an  inferior  employment,  as  miniftring  fpirits,  under  the 
dominion  of  the  uncreated  angel  of  the  covenant,  muftbe 
a  fource  of  the  purefl:  felicity,  and  a  fubjeft  of  the  moil 
elevated  praife.  In  a  particular  manner,  the  afi'umption 
of  our  nature  into  a  pcrfonal  union  witli  the  divine.  You 
fee  how  they  fing  praifcs  at  the  birth  of  the  Saviour,  Luke 
ii.  13,  14.  ''  And  fuddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a 
"  multitude  of  the  heavenly  hofi:,  praifing  God,  and  fay- 
"  ing.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highcll,  and  on  earth  peace, 
"  good  will  toward  men." 

The  humiliation,  fufierings  and  death  of  God's  eternal 
Son,  his  vidory  upon  the  crofs,  his  refurreclion  from  tlic 
dead,  and  triumph  over  principalities  and  powers,  that  is 


57-  27>£?  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

to  fay,  the  revolted  angels,  muft  have  often  laid  thele  fer- 
vants  of  the  living  God,  proftrate  in  adoration.  This  is 
not  a  matter  of  conjedlure,  but  clearly  revealed ;  the 
whole  plan  of  redemption  being  called  a  myllery,  which 
the  angels  defire  to  penetrate,  i  Pet.  i.  lo,  ii,  12.  "  Of 
"  which  falvation  the  prophets  have  inquired,  and  fearched 
*'  diligently,  who  prophefied  of  the  grace  that  Ihouldcome 
'■'■  unto  you  :  fearching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the 
"  Spirit  of  Chril'l  which  v/as  in  them  did  fignify,  when  it 
*'  teftified  beforehand  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  and  the  glo- 
"  ry  that  fhould  follow  :  unto  whom  it  was  revealed,  that 
*'  not  Unto  themfelves,  but  imto  us,  they  did  minifler  the 
"■  things  which  are  now  reported  unto  you  by  them  that 
*'  have  preached  the  gofpel  unto  you,  with  the  holy  Ghoft 
"  fent  down  from  heaven  ;  which  things  the  angels  defire 
"  to  lock  into." 

Realize  thefe  great  truths  to  yourfelves,  my  brethren. 
What  think  you  were  the  views  of  the  innumerable  hofls 
of  cherubim  and  feraphim,  when  fome  of  them  conducted 
the  afcending  Saviour,  and  others  recieved  him,  when  he 
entered  wdthin  the  veil !  What  think  you  were  their  views 
when  they  beheld  the  Mediator,  God  Man,  exalted  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  had  a  new  objedt  of  adoration, 
bearing  the  fears  of  his  fufferings,  and  known  by  the  print 
of  the  nails,  and  by  his  bleeding  temples  ?  Heb.  i.  6. 
"  And  again,  when  he  bringeth  in  the  firft-begotten  into 
"  the  world,  he  faith.  And  let  the  angels  of  God  worfhip 
"  him."  Or,  when  they  faw  the  dominion  and  power 
with  w^hich  he  was  inverted  as  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  T  Pet.  iii.  22.  "  Who  is  gone  into  heaven,  and  is  on 
"  the  right  hand  of  God,  angels,  and  authorities,  and  pow- 
"  ers  being  made  fubject  unto  him." 

This  renown  of  the  Saviour  muft  have  been  much  great- 
er among  them,  if  it  is  true  what  many  intelligent  divines 
have  fuppofed,  that  by  the  fame  glorious  undertaking  by 
which  he  redeemed  ele^t  fmners,  he  eftablifhed  and  con- 
hrmed  the  obedient  angels  in  a  ftate  of  holinefs  and  happi- 
nefs.  1  fnall  only  further  fay,  that  we  are  exprefsly  told, 
the  adminiftration  of  divine  grace,  or  the  government  and 
prclcrvation  of  the  church  of  Chrift,  is  a  continued  illuftra- 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  Work.  573 

tionto  the  fpirits  above  of  his  Father's  wifdoni,  Eph.  iii. 
10.  "  To  the  intent  that  now,  unto  the  principalities  and 
*'  powers  in  heavenly  places,  might  be  known  by  the 
*'  church  the  manifold  wifdom  of  God."  Agreeably  to 
this  we  find  that,  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  which  opens 
the  great  fcenes  of  providence  in  the  Church  militant, 
there  are  feveral  vifions  in  which  the  angels  are  reprel'ent- 
ed  as  uniting  their  praifes  with  redeemed  finners,  and 
directing  their  worfliip  to  the  fame  great  objedl:.  This 
leads  me  to  obferve, 

3.  That  the  Saviour  acquired  immortal  renown  amon;^ 
fmners  of  mankind.  If  the  angels  who  were  either  fpec- 
tators  only,  or  at  mod  but  partial  finners  in  redeeminjx 
grace,  do  yet  hold  him  in  the  higheft  honor,  what  is,  and 
muft  be  the  fenfe  of  gratitude  which  dwells  in  the  heart  of 
a  pardoned  fmner.  Oh,  my  brethren,  how  many  cir- 
cumftances  concur  to  bind  the  heart  of  the  believer  in 
eternal  bonds  of  gratitude  to  Chrift  !  Who  can  conceive 
or  exprefs  the  debt  of  the  finner  to  the  Saviour.  He  is 
redeemed  from  everlafting  deftru6tion,  he  is  faved  from 
wrath  through  him.  Whoever  is  humbled,  through  fear 
of  the  vengeance,  of  a  holy  and  jealous  God,  what  fervent 
love  will  he  bear  to  him,  who  hath  wrought  his  deliver- 
ance, who  hath  purchafed  his  pardon.  If  he  is  filled  with 
a  deep  fenfe  of  his  own  unworthinefs,  of  his  aggravated 
and  inexcufeable  provocations,  with  what  rapture  mufu 
he  look  upon  that  Saviour,  who  forgave  him  gracioufly, 
and  loved  him  freely.  Who  is  not  moved  with  that  ini- 
mitable picture  of  penitent  love,  when  Mary  Magdalene 
came  in  as  it  is  related,  Luke  vii.  37,38.  "  And,  behold, 
"  a  woman  in  the  city,  which  was  a  finner,  when  fhc 
"  knew  that  Jefus  fat  atmeat  in  thePharifees  houfe,  brought 
*'  an  alabafter-box  of  ointment,  and  flood  at  his  feet  be- 
"  hind  him  weeping,  and  began  to  wafh  his  feet  with  tears, 
"  and  did  wipe  them  with  die  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kilf- 
"  ed  his  feet,  and  anointed  them  with  the  ointment." 
And  how  juft  and  proper  that  reflection  of  our  Saviour  \\\ 
the  47th  verfe,  ''  Wherefore,  I  fay  unto  thee,  Her  lins, 
"  whicli  are  many,  are  forgiven  ;  for  Ihe  loved  much  : 
"  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  fame  lovsth  little  " 

Vol.  II.  ^  C 


574  "^^'^  Ghry  of  the  Redeemer 

Tiie  believer*s  efteem  and  gratitude  mull  be  greatly  in- 
creafed  by  confidering  the  unfpeakable  coft  at  which  his 
deliverance  was  bought,  the  amazing,  and  afFcfting  fuffer- 
\n%s  which  the  Redeemer  endured  in  his  room.  When 
he  follows  the  patient  and  immaculate  Saviour,  by  the 
eye  of  faith,  from  his  inward  anguifh  in  the  garden,  to 
his  fliameful  fufierings,  on  the  accurfed  tree.  With  what 
relenting  of  heart,  will  he  view  that  blefled  head  crowned 
with  thorns,  that  facred  body  nailed  to  the  crofs. — And 
when  he  carries  forward  his  views  to  the  glory  and  hnppi- 
nefs  prepared  for  him,  in  the  Redeemer's  prefence  above, 
what  is  the  fum  of  his  obligations  ?  What  bounds  can  be 
let  to  this  conqueror's  renown  ?  In  what  better  way  can  we 
exprefs  this,  than  by  repeating  and  adopting  thefe  ani- 
mating fongs  of  praife,  which  are  now  making  a  great 
part  of  the  worfhip  of  Heaven,  Rev.  v.  ii,  12,  13,  14. 
••'  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels 
"  roundabout  the  throne,  and  the  beafts,  and  the  elders : 
*'  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thoufand  times  ten 
"  thoufand,  and  thoufands  of  thoufands ;  fayirig  with  a 
*'  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  llain  to  re- 
*'  ceive  power,  and  riches,  and  wifdom,  and  ftrength, 
*'  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bleffing.  And  every  crea- 
'■'■  ture  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under 
"  the  earth,  and  fuch  as  are  in  the  fea,  and  all  that  are 
"  in  them,  heard  I  faying,  Bleffing,  and  honor,  and  gio- 
"  ry,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  fitteth  upon  the  throne, 
"  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  four 
'■'■  beafts  faid.  Amen.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders 
"  fell  down  and  worlhipped  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and 
"  ever."    AndRev.  vii.  9,10,  11. 

3.  In  the  laft  place  the  magnificent  declaration  con- 
cerning Chrift,  in  the  text  implies  the  liability  and  per- 
petuity of  his  kingdom.  The  glorious  Promifes  made  to 
the  houfe  and  family  of  David,  have  their  chief  and  full 
accomplifhment  in  Chrift  the  fon  of  David.  The  earthly 
kingdom  erefted  in  that  family,  has  long  ago  been  deftroy- 
ed,  but  the  Redeemer's  fpiritual  kingdom  is  an  everlaft- 
ing  kingdom,  and  his  dominion  Ihall  have  no  end.  This 
was  the  promife  of  the  Father  to  the  Meffiali,  Pfal.  Ixxxix. 


ill.  the  Perpetuity  of  his  Ji'ork.  57  ^ 

36,  37.  "  His  feed  ftiall  endure  for  ever,  and  his  throne 
•'  as  the  fun  before  me.  It  fliall  he  eftabliflied  for  ever 
''  as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  vvitnefs  in  heaven.  Se- 
"  lah." 

It  is  one  great  end,  of  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  fup- 
per,  to  perpetuate  tlie  Redeemer's  name,  "  as  often  as  ye 
"  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  fliev/  forth  the 
*'  Lord's  death  till  he  come,"  and  it  is  a  noble  and  reviv- 
ing objedl  of  faith,  that  we  know  that  his  kingdom  Ihall 
Hand  fall  forever.  Hell  itfelf  may  rage,  and  the  princes 
of  this  world  may  combine  to  lliake  his  glorious  throne, 
but  he  that  fits  in  heaven  fhall  laugh,  the  king  of  Zion 
iliall  hold  their  impotent  attempts  on  derifion.  He  diaJl 
maintain  his  interell  in  fpite  of  all  the  efforts  of  his  nume- 
rous and  inveterate  enemies.  He  hath  often  done  lb  al- 
ready, and  fliall  continue  to  do  fo,  till  the  end  of  time. 
Rev.  xvii.  14. 

I  proceed  now  to  make  fome  pradlical  application  of 
what  hath  been  faid.     And, 

Firft,  Let  us  adore  the  wifdom  and  the  power  of  Chrift. 

My  brethren,  When  we  confider  the  limplicity  of  the 
gofpel,  and  the  fcandal  of  the  crofs  ;  when  we  confider 
the  whole  fyftem  of  the  dodlrine  according  to  godlinefs, 
and  falvation  by  grace,  how  directly  contrary  it  is  to  the 
pride  of  our  nature,  how  many  attempts  have  been,  and 
continue  to  be  made  in  every  age,  to  fupprefs  it  by  vio- 
lence, to  blacken  it  by  llander,  and  to  adulterate  it  by 
mixture ;  it  is  a  Handing  miracle  that  it  has  been  able 
to  hold  its  ground.  Whoever  will  reflect  either  upon 
the  prefent  ftate,  or  the  pafl:  hidory  of  the  church  of  Chrift, 
muftbe  obliged  to  fay,  that  our  faith  does  not  ftand  in  the 
wifdom  of  men,  but  in  the  povv^er  of  God.  I  mull  not 
omit  to  fay  that,  we  are  perhaps  as  much  indebted  in  this 
nation,  to  the  goodnefs  of  providence  in  this  refpeft,  as 
any  corner  of  the  earth;  and  I  cannot  but  be  pleaf^d  vvitii 
the  choice  which  our  Fathers  made,  of  an  emblem  and 
motto  for  the  church  of  Scotland,  a  bulh  burning,  but 
not  confumed.  Let  us  rejoice  in  the  faith,  that  the  prince 
of  tiie  kings  of  the  earth,  who  hath  hitherto  maintained  his 
truths  and  intereft  againft  all  the  pov/ers  and  cimning  of 


570  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

earthly  policy,  will  continue  to  preferve  them,  and  that 
"  his  name  fliall  endure  forever  :  his  name  Ihall  be  con- 
"  tinued  as  long  as  the  fun  :  and  men  fhall  be  blefled  in 
"  him  ;   all  nations  fliall  call  him  blefled." 

2.  You  may  learn  from  what  hath  been  faid,  the  guilt 
and  danger  of  the  enemies  of  Chrift  ;  of  all  thofe  Vv^ho  fet 
light,  by  the  glory  of  his  perfon,  and  are  unwilling  to  be 
indebted  to  the  riches  of  his  grace.  I  would  willingly 
afpire  to  the  charadler  which  the  apoftle  Paul  affumes  to 
himfelf.  2  Con  ii.  17.  "  For  we  are  not  as  many,  which 
"  corrupt  the  word  God :  but  as  of  fmcerity,  but  as  of 
*'  God,  in  the  fight  of  God  fpeak  we  in  Chrift."  Chrift  is 
.the  only  foundation  of  a  fmner's  hope,  i  Cor.  iii.  11. 
"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
'"  which  is  Jefus  Chrift."  There  may  be  a  form  of  god- 
linefs  ;  nay,  there  may  be  an  oftentatious  parade  of  human 
virtue,  but  there  can  be  nothing  of  the.fpirit  and  power  of 
true  religion,  without  a  clear  difcovery  and  fmcere  con- 
feffion  of  our  lolt  and  depraved  ftate  by  nature,  without  a 
believing  application  to  the  mercy  of  God,  through  the 
blood  of  the  atonement.  Think  not  I  befeech  you,  to 
fruftrate  the  word  of  God.  The  following  teftimony, 
com.es  from  the  A\nen,  the  true  and  faithful  witnefs,  John 
xiv.  6.  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no 
'■'•  rnan  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  If  fo  great 
honor  is  put  upon  the  Redeemer  by  God  the  Father,  and 
by  his  holy  angels,  how  unlpeakahly  dangerous  muft  it  be, 
for  finners  to  defpife  him.  You  can  never  defpife  this 
ordinance  of  Godforfalvation,  but  from  the  greateft  igno- 
rance of  yourfelves.  My  heart  bleeds  to  think  of  the 
delufion  of  the  defpifers  of  the  gofpel.  What  views  can 
you  have  of  the  immaculate  nature  and  holy  law  of  God, 
if  you  truft  in  yourfelves  that  you  are  righteous  ?  What 
experience  have  you  of  the  liability  of  thefe  reiblations  that 
have  been  taken,  as  in  your  ftrength  ?  How  weak  and  de- 
feilive  is  that  virtue,  which  is  founded  only  on  human 
prudence,  or  motives  of  prefent  convenicncy  ?  One  be- 
lieving view  of  a  Saviour  on  the  crofs,  will  have  a  more 
powerful  influence  in  mortifying  corrupt-ions,  than  all 
o'-licr  arguments  v/hatever.     One  fervent   praj^er,  urged 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  Work.  577 

in  the  name  of  Chrift,  will  be  more  effectual  for  your  pre- 
fervation,  than  a  thoufand  merely  human  refolutions. 
Obey  this  falutary  counfel,  John  xv.  4.  "  Abide  in  me, 
"  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itfelf, 
"  except  it  abide  in  the  vine  :  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye 
"  abide  in  me." 

3.  From  what  has  been  faid,  let  me  befeech  you  to  try 
your  title  to  fet  down  at  the  Lord's  table.  This  ordi- 
nance was  exprefsly  inllituted  for  putting  honor  on  the 
Redeemer's  name.  He  is  the  fum  and  fubllance  of  it ; 
his  death  and  fufferings,  are  the  immediate  lubjeft  of  it. 
Have  you  then,  my  brethren,  a  high  and  inward  efteem  of 
his  perfon :  a  deep  fenfe  of  gratitude  for  his  mercy  ;  an 
entire  and  unfliaken  reliance  on  his  grace  and  power  ? 
Can  you  call  the  Searcher  of  hearts  to  witnefs,  that  you 
unfeignedly  approve  of  this  way  of  falvation,  by  w^hich 
God  is  glorified,  and  the  fmner  abafed  ?  Are  you  not 
afliamed  to  profefs  it  ?  And  while  others  are  ready  to  def- 
pife  it,  are  you  willing  to  glory  in  it  ?  Does  it  pleafe  you 
to  hear  that  the  Saviour's  name  fliall  endure  for  ever  ? 
Is  it  with  holy  triumph,  you  refledl,  that  the  glory  of  his 
kingdom  fliall  be  unchangeable,  and  his  power  to  eternity 
itfelf?  If  this  is  your  difpofition,  I  hope  you  will  come 
with  acceptance  to  his  table  ;  and  I  would  flatter  myfelf 
with  the  pleafing  expeftation,  that  many  of  this  day's 
worftiippers,  fliall  be  everlafling  monuments  of  their  Re- 
deemer's power  ;  that  they  fliall  be  liappy  fubjects  of  his 
grace,  and  taft;e  of  the  confolations  of  his  gofpel  on  earth, 
and  be  heirs  and  partakers  of  his  glory  in  heaven. 

4.  I  would  improve  this  fubjeft,  by  earneftly  befeeching 
every  fmner  to  embrace  this  falvation,  and  enlifl:  himfelf 
under  the  banner  of  this  renowned  Saviour.  There  are 
no  doubt,  many  v/ithin  thefe  walls,  who  are  flill  in  the 
gall  of  bitternefs,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.  O  that  the 
Redeemer  would  glorify  his  own  power  on  their  convic- 
tion and  their  falvation.  "  Gird  on  thy  fword  upon  thy 
thigh,  O  moll  mighty".  Are  there  not  fome  in  this  ai- 
feinbly,  who  are  I'eniible  they  are  lying  under  a  load 
of  unforgiven  guilt ;  that  they  are  flill  flaves  to  habitual 
fln  ?  Dogs  not  the  very  facred  action  we  are  going  about^ 


578  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer 

fill  you  with  fear,  that  you  are  far  from  the  flate  and 
temper  of  God's  children  ?  Is  not  the  old  nature  fo  flrong 
in  you,  that  you  have  good  reafon  to  fufpeft  you  have  ne- 
ver yet  put  on  the  new  ?  Let  me  befeech  and  exhort  you, 
to  believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God.  His  merit  is 
of  infinite  value  ;  his  power  is  of  infinite  efiicacy.  Ma- 
ny notorious  finners  have  been  from  age  to  age,  the  happy 
witnefles  of  both.  Nothing  in  your  condition  ought  to  be 
a  difcouragement  to  you  from  applying  to  this  all-fufii- 
cient  Saviour,  he  invites  you  by  me,  or  rather  I  invite  you 
by  his  commiffion,  and  in  hjs  own  terms,  Matth.  xi.  28. 
*'  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
*'  and  I  will  give  you  reft."  Ifa.  Iv.  i.  "  IIo,  everyone 
*'  that  thirfleth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath 
*'  no  money :  come  )^e,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy 
*■'  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price." 
John  vi.  37.  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me  T  will  in  no  wife 
"  caft  out.'*  How  fliajl  I  urge  your  compliance  ;  is  not 
this  name  fo  powerful  1  that  you  may  fafely  put  your  truft 
in  it  ?  Are  you  not  defirous  that  your  converfion  to  God 
fliould  illuftrate  it  and  make  it  glorious  ?  I  fhall  leave  the 
matter  with  you  after  making  this  remark,  that  in  vain  do 
his  enemies  oppofe  him  ;  in  vain  do  finners  defpife  him. 
He  is  getting  him  a  name  by  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel. 
It  is  IHll  ferving  its  purpofe,  for  the  calling  and  confirma- 
tion of  the  veffels  of  mercy,  for  aggravating  the  guilt,  and 
increafmg  the  condemnation  of  the  obllinatc  and  difobedi- 
ent,  Luke  xx.  17, 18.  "  And  he  beheld  them,  and  faid, 
*'  W\\2X  is  this  then,  that  is  written,  The  fione  which  the 
*'  builders  rejeftcd,  the  fame  is  become  the  head  of  the 
*'  corner  ?  Whofoever  Ihall  fall  upon  that  fione  fliall  be 
*'  broken  ;  but  on  whomfcever  it  Ihall  fall,  it  will  grind 
"  him  to  powder." 

5.  Li  the  lafl  place,  you  may  learn  from  v/hat  hath  been 
faid,  the  wifdom  of  God,  in  the  inftitution  of  the  Lord's 
fupper,  and  what  ought  to  be  your  employment  at  his 
table.  How  wifely  fitted  is  this  ordinance  to  keep  up  the 
remembrance  ofChrifl  as  a  Saviour,  as  a  fuffering  dying 
Saviour.  Perhaps  no  one  circumftance  has  contributed 
more  to  prefer\'e  the  pure  uncorrupted  doftrinc  ot  the  gof- 


in  the  Perpetuity  of  his  JVbrk.  579 

pel,  than  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  fupper.  It  fets  the 
truth  before  our  eyes,  while  the  words  of  the  inftitution 
repeats  it  in  our  ears,  i  Cor.  xi.  24.  *'  This  is  my  body, 
*'  which  is  broken  for  you  :  this  do  in  remembrance  of 
"  me."  And  verfe  25th,  "  This  cup  is  the  New  Tefta- 
"  ment  in  my  blood  :  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in 
♦*  remembrance  of  me."  ProfefTmg  Chriftians,  bat  of 
worldly  minds,  may  be  alhamed  of  the  crofs,  felf-righteous 
perfons  may  put  fomething  elfc  in  the  room  of  the  crofs. 
Perverfe  difputers  may  oppofe  it,  or  keep  it  out  of  their 
writings,  and  erroneous  teachers  may  keep  it  out  of  their 
fermons,  but  there  is  no  keeping  it  out  of  the  facrament  of 
his  fupper.  Under  this  aufpicious  banner,  the  name  of 
Chrift  has  been  fpread  to  the  moil  diltant  nation,  and 
handed  down  from  the  mofl  diftant  ages,  and  ^0  it  fliall 
continue  till  he  come  again,  "  for  as  often  as  ye  eat  this 
"  bread,"  &c.  How  then  ought  ye  to  be  employed,  in 
a  thankful  and  joyful  acceptance  of  falvation  through  his 
blood,  in  the  lively  exercife  of  faith  in  his  power,  in  de- 
riving from  his  fulnefs  every  thing  neceffary  for  3-our 
fupport  under  temptation  or  trial ;  and  in  fervent  prayer, 
that  his  name  may  be  hallowed,  his  kingdom  may  come, 
and  his  will  may  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  Heaven. — 
Amen  and  Amen. 


[     58i     3 


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The  petitions  of    the   INSINCERE 
UNAVAILING. 


SERMON 


Psalm  Ixvi.  i8. 
If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  hearty  the  Lord  ivill  not  hear 


me* 
My  Brethren, 


THERE  is  not,  I  think,  a  more  ftriking  light  in 
which  we  can  conlider  an  aflembly  of  profeffing 
chriftians,  than  as  united  in  their  common  relation  to 
God,  and  upon  an  equal  footing,  as  to  outward  privileges, 
but  verv  different,  as  to  their  inward  character.  This 
difference  fhall  only  be  completely  manifefted  in  the  final 
decifion  of  their  Hate  at  the  laft  day.  The  'mixture  o£ 
faints  andfmners  muff  continue  till  that  time,  whenther« 
fliall  be  an  eternal  feparation  of  the  precious  from  the  vile, 
of  the  llieep  from  the  goats.  Mud  then,  all  things  con- 
tinue in  fufpence  and  uncertainty  till  the  great  day  ?  Is 
there  no  way  by  which  we  can  judge,  at  prefent,  what  will 
be  the  event  at  that  interefting  period  ? 

What  is  now  the  inward  temper,  or  the  fpiritual  ftate, 
and  what  ffiall  be  the  eternal  condition  of  every  perfon 
here  prefent  is  pcrfcaiy  known  to  God,  the  fearcher  of 

Vol.  II.  4  ^ 


582  The  Petitiojis  of  the 

all  hearts.  It  cannot  be  known  indeed,  with  any  cer- 
tainty, by  his  fellow  fmners,  but  it  may  be  known  in  a 
great  msafure,  by  every  one  with  regard  to  himfelf.  It 
ii^ay  be  known  with  fuch  a  degree  of  evidence  as  to  deliver 
him  from  diftreffing  anxiety,  and  even  to  fill  him  with 
the  mod:  joyful  hope  and  expe6tation.  Is  not  this  fuffi- 
cient  ?  and  ought  it  not  to  excite  every  one  of  us  to  a  fe- 
riousand  impartial  trial  of  that  great  queftion,  in  which 
we  have  no  lefs  than  an  infinite  concern.  This  ought  to 
be  our  care,  in  a  particular  manner,  when  we  have  in 
viev/  to  make  a  near  and  folemn  approach  to  God,  in  his 
fandluary  on  earth,  becaufe  his  acceptance  of  our  worfhip 
in  the  body,  is  an  earneft,  and  pledge  of  his  final  approba- 
tion, as  appears  from  the  words  of  the  text,  "  If  I  regard 
"  iniquity  in  vaj  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me,*^'  and 
likewh'e  from  another  paflage,  "John  ix.  31.  "  Now,  v/e 
"  know  that  God  heareth  not  fmners  :  but  if  any  man  be 
*'  a  worlliipper  of  Godj  and  doeth  his  will,  him  he  hear- 
'f  eth." 

This  Pfalm  w^as  compofed,  in  all  probability  by  the 
Pfalmift  David,  though  fome  are  of  a  contrary  opinion, 
and  attribute  it  to  one  of  the  prophets,  after  the  captivity. 
The  infpired  author  celebrates  the  goodnefs  of  God  in  fome 
fignal  and  national  deliverance,  and  towards  the  clofe  of 
the  Pfalm,  takes  particular  notice  of  the  diftinguifliing 
kindnefs  of  God  to  himfelf,  as  in  Pfalm  Ixvi.  16.  "  Come 
*'  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what 
*'  he  hath  done  for  my  foul."  He  then  confiders  the  coun- 
tenance and  acceptance  he  had  met  with  from  God,  as 
an  evidence  of  his  own  fincerity  in  the  i8th  and  19th 
verfes,  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will 
"  not  hear  me  ;  but  verily  God  hath  heard  me ;  he  hath 
"  attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer."  I  cannot  at  this 
time  take  in  the  whole  compafs  of  this  fubjeft,  or  confider 
how  the  one  of  thefe  aflertions  is  related  to  the  other,  but 
as  the  firft  of  them  contains  an  interefting  truth  of  itfelf, 
and  very  proper  for  the  trial  of  our  ftate, 

I  Ihall  endeavor,  through  divine  affiftance,  to  illuHrate 
it,  in  the  following  method. 


insincere  iina'v ailing.  583 

I.  I  fhall  confider  what  is  Implied  in  regarding  iniquity 
in  the  heart. 

II.  What  is  to  be  underflood  by  God's  not  hearinn-  fudi 
perfons.     And, 

III.  I  fliall  make  feme  prad:ical  improvement  of  the 
fubjetl,  for  your  inftrudion  and  direftion. 

In  the  iirft  place,  then,  let  us  confider  what  is  implied 
in  regarding  iniquity  in  the  heart.  And  I  think  it  is 
plain,  that  thefe  words  do  not  dire6tly  point  at  open, 
fcandalous  and  profane  fmuers,  who  have  burfl  every 
bond,  and  look  with  difdain  and  defiance  in  the  fiice  of 
every  reprover.  There  are  too  many  of  this  charac-ler, 
my  brethren,  who  fall  under  the  defcrlption  of  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  ch.  xliv.  vcr.  16  and  firft  claufe  of  the  17th, 
and  who  praftically  fay,  "  As  for  the  word  that  thou  haft 
"  fpoken  unto  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  will  not 
"  hearken  unto  thee.  But  we  will  certainly  do  whatfoever 
"  thing  goeth  forth  out  of  our  own  mouth."  To  ihefc  I 
Ihall  fpeak  in  the  application  of  the  fubjecl,  as  there  is  no 
doubt  that  they  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart,  fmce  they 
oi^enly  and  obflinately  pradlice  it  in  the  life.  But  cer- 
tainly the  words  of  the  text  do  chiefly  relate  to  thofe 
whofe  characters  are  more  doubtful,  both  to  others  and  to 
themfelves.  Many  there  have  been  in  every  age,  and 
there  are  many  amongfl  us,  who  maintain  their  charac- 
ters before  men  ;  but  when  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the 
fanduary,  fhall  be  found  wanting;  but,  at  the  fame  time, 
by  the  power  of  fclf-deceit,  they  are  ready  to  fay,  they 
fhall  have  peace,  though  diey  walk  after  the  imagination 
of  their  own  hearts.  For  undeceiving  all  fuch  perfons, 
and  for  the  trial  of  others,  that  they  that  are  approved, 
may  be  made  manifeft,  let  me  befeech  your  attention  to 
the  following  particulars. 

I.  They  regard  iniquity  in  their  hearts,  who  practice 
it  fecretly,  who  are  under  reftraint  from  the  world,  but 
are  not  pofleffcd  of  an  habitual  fear  of  the  omnifcient  God, 
the  fearcher  of  all  hearts,  and  from  whofe  eyes  there  is  no 
covering  of  thick  darknefs  where  the  w^orkers  of  iniquity 
rnay  hide  themfelves.     Jer.  xxiii.  24.   "  Can  any  hide 


584  The  Petitions  of  the 

"  himfelf  in  fecret  places,  that  I  fhall  not  fee  him  ?  faith 
"  the  Lord :  do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth  ?  faith  the  Lord." 
If  you  remember  in  what  manner  I  ftated  the  general 
meaning  of  the  words,  you  will  be  fenfible  that  I  do  not 
here  chiefly  point  at  grofs  hypocrify,  or  thofe  who  under 
the  cloak  of  religion,  pradtice  all  manner  of  wickednefs  in 
their  fecret  retirement.  There  are  many  others  on  whofe 
conduct  the  judgment  of  men  has  a  ftrong,  though  at  the 
fame  time  an  infenfible  effect ;  who  are  perliaps  regular 
and  guarded  in  their  vifible  deportment,  but  on  whom  a 
fenfe  of  the  contmual  prefence  of  the  invifible  God,  with 
whom  they  have  to  do,  hath  not  a  commanding  and  ha- 
bitual influence.  It  is  a  dangerous  fymptom  of  this, 
v/hen  your  repentance  is  very  flight,  and  you  eafily  forgive 
yourfelves  for  thofe  fiiis  of  which  the  world  is  ignorant, 
or  in  thofe  that  are  known,  when  you  remember  the  fhamc 
longer  than  the  fin. 

How  many  unhappy  examples  of  this  do  we  fee  every 
day  ?  How  many  can  go  very  eafily  under  their  fins  that 
are  known  only  to  God,  but  are  filled  with  vexation  when 
they  have  been  betrayed  into  what  expofes  them  to  the 
cenfure  of  their  fellow-creatures.  There  are  fome  who 
feem  to  be  much  more  affefted  with  the  cenfure  of  others 
for  trifling  errors,  than  the  difpleafure  of  God  for  heinous 
fins.  Nay,  there  are  to  be  found  fome  who  evidently 
fuffer  more  uneafinefs  from  the  cenfure  of  others,  even 
where  it  is  wrong,  than  from  fi'equent  neglects  or  breaches 
of  the  law  of  God.  Now,  what  fignifies  the  opinion  of 
others,  when  it  is  founded  on  miilake,  or  malice  ?  I  do 
not  mean,  my  brethren,  to  extinguifh,  or  bid  you  endea- 
vor to  extinguifli,  a  fenfe  of  fliame  ;  but  let  it  be  fubordi- 
nate  to  the  fear  of  God.  The  dlfirefs  of  a  real  penitent 
fliould  arife  from  the  diflionor  he  hath  done  to  God.  The 
reproach  he  hath  brought  on  religion,  fliould  wound  him 
more  deeply  than  the  fhame  or  fear  he  hath  brought  upon 
himfelf.  Let  the  fhamefulnefs  of  every  bad  adion,  bear  g, 
part  in  fliewing  you  its  abominable  nature.  But  I  arrv 
bold  to  affirm,  that  they  are  ftrangers  to  true  penitence,  in 
whom  a  fenfe  of  fliame  is  ftronger  than  a  fenfe  of  fin, 


insincere  unavaiimg,  5^5 

This  attacliment  to  fecret  fin  admits  of  various  degrees. 
It  is  fometimes  llronger,  and  fometimcs  weaker ;  Ibme- 
times  general,  and  fometimes  more  confined.  There  are 
ihftances  in  which  it  appears  chiefly  by  the  continuance 
and  influence  of  fome  one  darling  luft,  which  the  finner 
cannot  gire  up.  This  holds  its  place  after  others  are  fur- 
rendered  ;  and  though  it  dare  not  appear  openly  in  the 
converfation,  retains  its  domiliion  in  the  heart,  and  is  in- 
dulged under  the  covert  of  fecrefy.  The  arguments  ad- 
duced in  its  defence,  the  excufes  offered  for  it  by  the  fin- 
ner to  his  own  mind,  are  very  many ;  but  that  it  is  a  re- 
garding iniquity  in  the  heart,  appears  from  its  behig  con- 
cealed. It  would  feek  no  hiding  place,  if  it  were  not  one 
of  the  works  of  darknefs. 

2.  They  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart,  who  entertain 
andindulge  the  defire  of  fin,  although  in  the  courfe  of  pro- 
vidence, they  may  be  refl:rained  from  the  a£lual  commiflion 
of  it.  I  am  perfuaded  the  inftances  are  not  rare,  of  men 
feeding  upon  finful  defires,  even  when  through  want  of 
Opportunity,  through  the  fear  of  man,  or  through  fome 
partial  rcfiraint  of  confcience,  they  dare  not  cany  them  into 
execution.  This  will  be  befl:  illufirated  by  particular  ex- 
amples ;  and  therefore,  I  ihall  jufl:  mention  the  three  fol- 
lowing^-impurity,  fenfuality,  and  malice. 

Men  may  indulge  themfelves  in  unchafle  and  lafcivi- 
ous  thoughts  ;  they  may  allow  their  imaginations  to  run 
out  upon  fuch  fubjefts,  meditate  and  dwell  upon  them 
with  delight,  drink  in  with  pleafure  fuch  difcourfes  or  fuch 
writings  as  prefent  them  with  polluted  images,  although 
they  are  refirained  from  the  commiflion  of  grofs  a£ls  of  un- 
cleannefs.  All  who  voluntarily  indulge  themfelves  in 
fuch  mental  impurity,  who  think  it  enough  to  abilain  from 
the  criminal  action,  or  perhaps  maintain  fome  prudent 
referve  and  decency  of  converfation,  but  do  not  make 
confcience  of  watching  over  their  inward  defires ;  beyond 
all  queft:ion,  they  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart.  For  this 
■we  have  the  exprefs  teftimony  of  our  blefled  Saviour, 
Math.  v.  27,  28.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  faid  by 
"  them  of  old  time,  Thou  flialt  not  commit  adultery : 
"  but  I  fay  unto  you,  that  \yhofocver  looketh  on  a  woman 


586  The  Petitions  of  the 

"  to  luft  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with  her  al- 
"  ready  in  his  heart."     Again, 

Men  may  habitually  indulge  themfelves  in  fenfuality 
of  heart,  when  they  have  little  or  no  opportunity  of  giv- 
ing the  rein  to  fenfuality  in  pra£lice.  They  may  pleafe 
themfelves  with  the  imagination  or  expectation  of  wqrld- 
ly  greatnefs,  or  worldly  delights.  Such  things  may  be 
the  theme  of  their  meditation,  and  the  objeds  of  their  fm- 
ful  efFeds,  although  they  fliall  never  come  into  their  pof- 
feiTion.  Their  fenfuality  of  heart  may  difcover  itfelf  by 
impatient  com.plaints  of  their  own  flate,  which  has  not 
given  them  the  means  of  indulgence,  or  by  envious  re- 
pining at  the  outward  profperity  of  others,  who  are  more 
liberally  provided  for.  Nay,  I  would  fay  the  fame  thing 
of  thofe  who  have  the  means  of  gratification,  and  yet  are 
ufually  fober,  if  their  reftraint  is  owing  to  no  better  prin- 
ciple than  the  fear  of  ficknefs,  or  the  fear  of  man. 

Once  more,  men  may  indulge  themfelves  in  malice 
againfl  others,  although  it  be  chiefly  confined  to  the  fecret 
workingof  their  hearts.  Prudence  or  cowardice  may  hinder 
men  from  doing  mifchief,  even  when  they  are  full  of  in- 
ward malice.  Envy,  that  corroding,  walling  worm, 
chiefly  preys  upon  the  heart.  Men  may  rejoice  at  the  ca- 
lamities of  others,  or  indulge  refentment  of  fuppofed  in- 
juries, which  is  never  carried  into  efFedl.  All  fuch,  my 
brethren,  regard  iniquity  in  their  heart,  and  are  living  in 
the  wilful  and  deliberate  breach  of  the  law  of  God,  which 
is  pure  and  fpiritual,  and  hath  the  heart  as  its  principal 
objeft.  Math.  v.  21,  22.  "Ye  have  heard  that  it  was 
"  laid  by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  Ihalt  not  kill ;  and, 
"  whofoever  fliall  kill,  fhall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment. 
"  But  I  fay  unto  you,  that  whofoever  is  angry  with  his 
"  brother  without  a  caufe,  fliall  be  in  danger  of  the  judg- 
*'  ment :  and  whofoever  fliall  fay  to  his  brother,  Raca, 
^'  Ihali  be  in  danger  of  the  counfel :  but  whofoever  fliall 
"  fay,  Thou  fool,  fliall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire." 

3.  They  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart,  who  refleft  upon 
pall  fins  with  delight,  or  without  fincere  humiliation  of 
mind.  Perhaps  our  real  difpofition,  both  towards  fin  and 
duty,  may  be  as  certainly  difcovered  by  the  fl:ate  of  our 


insincere  ima'oailmg.  587 

minds  after,  as  in  the  time  of  adlion.     The  ftrength  and 
fuddennels  of  temptation  may  betray  even  a  good  man 
into  the  commiflion  of  fin  ;  the  backwardnefs  of  heart  and 
power  of  inward  corruption,  may  make  duty  burdcnfome, 
and  occafion  many  defefts  in  the  performance  :  but  every 
real  Chriftian  remembers  his  paft  fms  with  unfeigned  con- 
trition of  fpirit,  and  a  deep  fenfe  of  unworthinefs  before 
God  ;  and  the  difcharge  of  his  duty,  however  difficult  it 
may  have  been  at  the  time,  affords  him  die  utmoft  plca- 
fure,   on    refleftion.     It  is   otherwife  with  many :  they 
can  remember  tlieir  fins  without  forrow,  they  can  fpeak 
of  them  without  fhame,  and  fometimes  even  with  a  mix- 
ture of  boafting  and   vain-glory.     Did  you  never  hear 
them  recall  their  paft  follies,  and  fpeak  of  them  with  fuch 
relifli,  that  it  feems  to  be  more  to  renew  the  pleafure,  than 
to  regret  the  fm.     Even  fuppofmg  fuch  perfons  to  have 
forfaken  the  pradice  of  fome  fins,  if  they  can  thus  look 
back  upon  them  with  inward  complacency,  their  feeming 
reformation  mull  be  owing  to  a  very  different  caufe  from 
renovation  of  heart.     How  oppofite  the  fentiments  of  Job, 
who  confiders  his  affliftions  as  a  vifitation  of  God  for  his 
fins  in  early  life.  Job  xiii.  26,  "  For  thou  writeft  bitter 
"  things  againft  me,  and  makeft  me  to  poffefs  the  iniquities 
"  of  my  youth."     See  alio  the  prayer  of  the  pfalmift,  Pf. 
XXV.  7.  "  Remember  not  the  fins  of  my  youth,  nor  my 
"  tranfgreffions  :  according  to  thy  mercy  remember  thou 
*'  me,  for  thy  goodnefs  fake,  O  Lord." 

4.  They  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart,  who  look  upon  the 
fins  of  others  with  approbation,  or  indeed,  who  can  behold 
them  without  grief.  Sin  is  fo  abominable  a  thing,  fo  dif- 
honoring  to  God,  and  fo  deftruftive  to  the  fouls  of  men, 
that  no  real  Chriftian  can  witnefs  it  without  concern. 
Hence  it  is  fo  frequently  taken  notice  of  in  fcripture,  as 
the  charader  of  a  fervant  of  God,  that  he  mourns  for  the 
fins  of  others,  Pfal.  cxix.  136,  158,  "  Rivers  of  water  run 
"  down  mine  eyes  :  becaufe  they  keep  not  thy  law." — 
"  I  beheld  the  traufgreftors,  and  was  grieved  :  becaufe 
*'  they  kept  not  thy  word."  See  alfo  the  language  of 
tlie  prophet  Jeremiah,  chap.  xiii.  17.  "  But  if  ye  will  not 
"  hear  it,  my  foul  fhall  weep  in  fecret  places  for  your 


588  The  Petitions  of  the 

"  pride ;  and  mine  eye  iliall  weep  fore,  and  run  down 
*'  with  tears,  becaufe  the  Lord's  flock  is  carried  away 
*'  captive."  2  Pet.  ii.  7,  8,  "  And  delivered  juft  Lot, 
*'  vexed  with  the  filthy  converfation  of  the  wicked  :  (f©r 
"  that  righteous  man  dwelling  among  them,  in  feeipg 
"  and  hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  foul  from  day  to  day 
"  with  their  unlawful  deeds.)"  Have  we  then  among  us 
any,  my  brethren,  who  can  look  upon  the  fms  of  others 
with  complacency  or  approbation,  who  excufe  or  palliate, 
Vv'ho  juflify  or  defend  them,  how  different  is  their  temper 
from  that  of  the  fcripture  faints  juft  now  referred  to  ? — 
"Whatever  outward  regularity  they  may  polfefs  or  pretend 
to,  it  is  plain  they  are  of  the  number  of  thofe  who  regard 
iniquity  in  the  heart.  To  fome  fms  theii^own  nature 
may  not  prompt  them,  from  others,  the  fear  of  man  may 
rellrain  them  ;  but  the  holy  fpirit  furely  never  has  reform- 
ed them.  It  is  an  infallible  maxim,  that  no  man  can 
think  lightly  of  fin  in  others,  who  has  an  unfeigned  hatred 
of  it  in  himfelf. 

This  will  hold  with  equal  or  with  greater  fi;rength,  as 
to  thofe  who  make  the  fins  of  others  the  fubje^t  of  their 
mirth  and  entertainment.  The  wife  man  tells  us,  Prov. 
xiv.  9,  "  Fools  make  a  mock  of  fin."  And  the  obferva- 
tion  will  hold  equally  true,  whether  we  confider  the  fin 
committed,  or  the  danger  of  the  finner.  Is  there  any 
thino-  we  Uiould  hate  more  than  what  is  fo  ofienfive 
to  God ;  of  which  he  hath  exprefled  his  deteftation. 
And  nmfi:  he  not  regard  iniquity  in  the  heart,  who 
can  fiind  pleafure  in  what  Ihould  be  viewed  by  every 
Chrillian  with  horror  ?  And  what  name  does  he  deferve, 
who  can  make  himfelf  merry  with  the  everlafting  perdition 
of  his  fellow-creatures  ?  We  have  the  greateft  reafon  to 
lament  the  prevalence  of  fin  amongft  us,  and  the  boldnefs 
of  finners  ;  and  little  lefs,  to  lament  the  reception  which 
both  fin  and  finners  meet  with  among  thofe,  of  v/hom  bet- 
ter things  might  have  been  expefted. 

5.  In  the  kill  place,  I  fufpeft  that  they  regard  fin  in  tlie 
heart,  who  are  backward  to  bring  themfelves  to  the  trial, 
and  who  are  not  truly  willing,  that  God  liimfelf  would 
fearch  :ind  try  them.     Sin  often  lurks  fecretly,  and  in  dif- 


insincere  imavai/iftg.  5*9 

c^uife.  He  is  a  ftrangcr  to  religion,  who  does  not  knovr 
^  from  experience.  Hear  the  language  of  the  Pfalmift. 
Vr  X  X  12  -  Who  can  underllancl  his  errors  ?  cleanfe 
•  thou  me  from  fecret  faults."  Pf.cxxxix.23,24. '' Search 

»'  me  O  Gocl,  and  know  my  heart:  try  me  and  knovr 
*c  my'  thoughts,  and  fee  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  m 
-  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlaftmg. 

If  ;ny,  therefore,  are  unwilling  to  be  tried,  if  they  are 
backward  to  felf-examination,  it  is  an  evidence  of  a  ftrong 
ami  powerful  attachment  to  fin.  It  can  proceed  from  no- 
thing but  from  a  fecret  dread  of  fome  difagreeable  difcove- 
rv  of  the  deteaion  of  fome  lull,  which  they  cannot  con. 
fcnt  to  foFfake.  The  force  of  conlcience  is  fuch,  that 
fome  deception  is  nsceiTary  to  keep  the  fmner  in  peace 
with  himfelf.  Too  much  light  would  -th^^,  ^^^^^  him 
from  his  delights,  or  poifon  the  enjoyment  of  them^T^^^ 
is  ftrongly  defcribed  by  our  Saviour,  John  111. 20.  For  e ve- 
;f  ry  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to 
"  the  light,  left  his  deeds  Ihould  be  reprov-cd. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  fecond  thing  propofed  which 
was  to  /how  what  is  to  be  underftood  by  God's  not  hearing 
thofe  who  regard  iniquity  in  their  hearts.  This  exprel- 
fion  of  God's  not  hearing  them,  may  be  confidered  very 
generally,  as  fignifying  that  they  are  not  nor  while  they 
continuJ  in  that  temper  can  be,  the  objeds  of  his  favors  ; 
he  will  not  remember  them  with  the  love  which  he  beareth 
to  his  chofen.  But  as  the  expreflion  is  ufed  m  fome  par- 
ticular and  diHina  fignifications  in  fcripture,  which  will 
merit  our  attention,  I  Ihall  briefly  mention  the  chief  of 
them,  which  feem  to  be  the  four  following. 

I    He  will  not  hear  them  when  they  cry  to  him  tor  cle- 
livei^nce  from  affliaion.     I  take  this  to  be  ^^  ka^  °"« 
hing,  if  not  the  main  thing,  intended  by  the  Pfalmift  m 
the  paffage  where  the  text  lies.     After  giving  praife  to 
God  for  a  fignal  deliverance,  he  draws  this  comtorlable 
concluf.on  horn  it,  -  If  I  regard  iniqiiity  in  my  heart,  the 
-  Lord  will  not  hear  me  :  but  verily  God  hath  heard  me  . 
»  he  hath  attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer.       It  is  one 
of  the  charaaers,  as  well  as  one  of  the  privileges  ot  the 
Vol.  II.  4  E 


599  ^^  Petitions  of  the 

children  of  God,  that  they  fly  to  him  as  their  refuge  iff 
4iftrefs  ;  and  he  hath  given  his  gracious  promife,  that  he 
will  hear  them  in  mercy,  Pf.  xei.  15.  "  He  Ihall  call  upem 
*'  me,  and  I  will  anfwer  him  :  I  will  be  with  him  in  troa- 
"  ble,  I  will  deliver  him,  and  honor  him.'*  Pf.  1.  15. 
**  And  call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble  j  I  will  deliver 
*'  thee,  and  thou  fhalt  glorify  me."  But  thofe  who  regard 
iniquity  in  their  hearts,  have  no  rcafon  to  expeft  that  God 
will  hear  them  in  this  fenfe*  They  are  liable  to  the  cala- 
mities of  human  life ;  they  are  liable  to  the  ftrokes  of 
God's  righteous  Providence  :  but  they  have  no  title  to  go 
to  him  for  relief.  Every  pJHiStion  carries  in  it  the  feverity 
of  a  judge,  without  any  mixture  of  the  mercy  of  a  father* 
It  is  true,  that  wicked  men  do  fometimes  cry  to  God  in 
diftrefs,  but  not  in  the  fpirit  of  his  cliildren  ;  and  as  we 
learn  from  this  paffage,  their  prayers  do  not  find  accep- 
tance with  him. 

There  are  three  different  objects  of  defire  to  a  good  man^ 
while  in  alEiftion :  the  divine  prefenee  to  fupport  him 
imderit;  the  fandlified  ufc  of  it,  for  the  improvement  of 
the  fpiritual  life  ;  and  in  due  time,  compleat  deliverance 
from  it.  The  two  firft,  he  that  regards  iniquity  in  his 
heart,  will  hardly  afk  ;  and  the  laft  he  fhall  not  be  able  to 
obtain.  The  prayer  of  one  unacquainted  with  God,  is 
little  better  than  the  howling  of  defpair  and  terror,  without 
any  mixture  of  filial  confidence.  Hofea,  vii.  14.  "  And- 
^'  they  have  not  cried  unto  me  with  their  heart,  when  they 
*'  howled  upon  their  beds."  As  to  the  fan£tified  lafe  of 
their  fufFcrings,  they  neither  a&  nor  receive  it ;  on  the 
contrary,  they  are  commonly  made  worfe  by  their  fufier- 
ings,  as  earthen  veffels  are  but  hardened  in  the  fire.  And 
as  to  deliverance  from  fufFering,  they  fliall  never  obtain 
more  than  perhaps  a  temporary  fufpenfion  of  outward, 
llrokes,  till  they  fill  up  the  meafure  of  their  iniquities,  and 
be  ripe  for  final  deftruftion. 

I  cannot  help,  juft  hinting  in  this  place,  that  when  God 
vifits  his  children's  faults  \vith  rods,  and  their  fins  with 
chaftifements,  till  the}'-  forfake  their  fins  by  true  repent- 
ance, he  will  not  hear  them.  If  they  have  departed  from 
the  paths  of  truth  and  righteoufnefs,  if  tliey  have  taken  »£ 


insttuere  unavailing,  5gfr 

the  accurfed  thing  between  him  and  tTiem,  there  cannot 
be  peace,  Ifaiah  lix.  i.  "Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  not 
"  (hortened,  that  it  cannot  favc  ;  neither  his  ear  heavy, 
''  that  it  cannot  hear."  The  very  intention  of  affliction 
to  the  children  of  God,  is  to  feparate  them  from  fm,  ancj 
it  miift  continue  till  it  produces  its  effeft.  What  he  fays 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Jcrufalem,  in  general,  is  but  an  em- 
blem of  the  manner  in  which  he  will  treat  every  particular 
perfon  of  the  true  Ifracl,  "  Ifaiah  i.  35.  "  And  I  will  turiv 
*'  my  hand  upon  thee,  and  purely  purge  away  thy  drofsy- 
*'  and  take  away  all  thy  tin  :" 

2.  He  will  not  hear  them,  when  they  intercede  for 
others.  It  is  in  this  fenfe,  that  the  word  is  ufed  in  x\\t 
gofpel  according  to  John  ix.  31.  "Now,  we  know  that^ 
"  God  heareth  not  iinners  :  but  if  any  man  be  a  worfhip- 
"  per  of  God,  and  doth  his  will,  him  he  heareth."  We 
are  exprefsly  taught  by  the  apoftle  James,  that  it  is  the 
prayer  of  faith,  and  the  prayer  of  the  righteous  that  hathr 
peace  with  God,  Jas.  v,  15, 16.  "And  the  prayer  of  faith  fhalF 
"  fave  the  fick,  and  the  Lord  fhall  raife  him  up  ;  and  if  he 
*'  have  committed  fms,  they  fhall  be  forgiven  him.  Confefs* 
*'  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that 
*'  ye  may  be  healed.  Theeffedlual  fervent prayerofarighte- 
"  ousman  availeth  much.*'  I  am  fenfible,  mybr^tliren,  that 
this  will  fcem  of  very  little  moment  to  many,  or  probabljT" 
to  the  grcateft  part  of  thofe,  who  regard  iniquity  in  their 
hearts.  Not  much  accufloraed  to  the  exercife  of  prayer* 
for  themfelves,  it  will  make  but  a  light  impreffion  on' 
them,  to  be  told  that  they  will  not  be  heard  in  their  inter- 
ceflion  for  others.  The  truth  is,  many,  if  they  would  at- 
tend to  it,  carry  their  own  condemnation  in  themfelvesr, 
from  this  very  circumftance.  Confcious  that  they  hav(i 
little  intereft  at  the  throne  of  grace,  they  feldom  think  of 
employing  it  at  all.  But  confidering  that  there  is  fcarcely* 
any  perfon  wholly  unrelated  to  others^  and  that  many 
have  occafion,  from  time  to  time,  to  fee  thofe  to  whom 
they  are  united,  by  the  mod  tender  ties,  lying  under  the 
preifure  of  affliftion,  it  ought  to  cover  them  with  confufi- 
on,  that  they  know  not  v/hat  it  is  to  look  to  God,  as  the 
hfiarer  of  prayer,  and  to  lend  tliat  help,,  which  they  mik 


592  The  Petitions  of  the 

Ihortly  tequire.  When  we  fee  one  member  of  a  family- 
lying  under  the  rod,  and  a  profane  hufband  or  wife,  pa- 
rent or  child,  {landing  by  in  hopelefs  diftrefs,  and  prayer- 
lefs  tears,  it  is  hard  to  fay  which  of  the  two  is  the  great- 
eft  object  of  compaffion. 

And  what  an  incitement  fhould  it  be  to  thofe,  who  are 
often  called  to  the  duty  of  interceffion,  either  from  their 
office  or  their  charadler,  to  walk  tircumfpeftly,  that  they 
may  not  mar  their  confidence  in  God.  Let  them  guard 
with  double  diligence  againft  any  thing  that  is  provoking 
to  God.  Let  them  ftrive  to  keep  clear  their  intereft  in 
his  favor,  left  they  fhould  at  once  wound  their  peace  and 
deftroy  their  ufefulnefs,  for  if  they  regard  iniquity  in  their 
heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  them. 

3.  He  will  not  hear  them  when  they  draw  near  to  him 
in  worfhip.  This  alfo,  is  often  the  meaning  of  the  ex- 
preffion  in  fcripture,  Ifaiah  i.  14,  15.  "  Your  new  moons, 
*'  and  your  appointed  feafts  my  foul  hateth :  they  are  a 
*'  trouble  unto  me  ;  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And  when 
*'  ye  fpread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from 
•'  you ;  yea,  when  ye  make  many  prayers  I  will  not  hear: 
"  your  hands  are  full  of  blood."  There  are  many  other 
paffages  to  the  fame  purpofe,  particularly  that  of  Solomon, 
Prov.  XV.  8.  "  The  facrifice  of  the  wicked  is  anabomina- 
*'  tion  to  the  Lord  :  but  the  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his 
*' delight."  ThePfalmift  was  fofenfibie  of  this,  that  he 
fays,  Pfalm  v.  4,  5,  6,  7.  "  For  thou  art  not  a  God  that 
"  hath  pleafure  in  wickednefs ;  neither  lliall  evil  dwell 
*^  with  thee.  The  foelifh  Iball  not  ftand  in  thy  fight : 
*'  thou  hateft  all  workers  of  iniquity.  Thou  fhalt  deftroy 
*'  them  that  fpeak  leafing  :  the  Lord  will  abhor  the  bloody 
*'  and  deceitful  man.  But  as  for  me,  I  will  come  into 
*'  thy  houfe  in  the  multitude  of  thy  mercy  ;  and  in  thy 
*'  fear  will  I  worftiip  toward  thy  holy  temple." 

This  ought  to  make  a  deep  and  lerious  impreffion  on 
your  minds.  There  are  but  too  many  who,  though  they 
live  in  the  practice  of  fin  .and  regard  iniquity  in  their 
hearts,  do  yet  continue  their  outward  attendance  on  the 
ordinances  of  divine  inftitution,  and  at  ftated  times  lay 
hold  of  thefeals  of  Goil's  covenant.     Shall  they  find  any 


insincere  unavailing.  5^3 

acceptance  with  him  ?      No.     He  counts  it   a  i^rofane 
mockery ;  he  counts  it  a  facrilegious  ufurpation,  Plahn  1. 
16,  17.  "  But  unto  the  wicked  God  laith,  What  liaft  thou 
"  to  do  to  declare  my  Ilatutes,  or  that  thou  fliouldft   take 
"  my   covenant   in  tliy  mouth  ?     Seeing  thou  hatefl:  in- 
"  flru£tion,  and  cadeli  my  words  behind  thee."     Shall 
they  have  any  comfort  in  it.     No,  unlefs  in  fb  far  as  in 
righteous  judgment,  he  fuffers  them  to  be  deceived,  and 
they  are  deceived,  and  moil  unhappy  they,  who  lie  long- 
eft  under  the  delufion,  Pfalm  1.  21.  "  Thefe  things  haft 
*'  thou  done,  and  I  kept  filence  :  thou  thoughtefl:  that  I 
''  was  altogether  fuch  an  one  as  thyfelf ;  but  I  will  reprove 
"thee,  and  fet  them  in  order  before  thine  eyes.*'     Shall 
they  have  any  benefit  by  it.     No,    inflead  of  appeafing 
his  wrath,  it  provokes  his  vengeance.      Inflead  of  enlight- 
ening their  minds,  it  blinds  their  eyes.     Inllead  of  fanc- 
tifying  their  nature,  it  hardens  their  hearts.     See   a  de- 
fcription  of  thofe  who  had  been  long  favored  with  outward 
privileges,  and  gloried  in  them,  John  xii.  39,  40,  "There- 
"  fore  they  could  not  believe,  becaufe  that  Efaias  faid  a- 
■"  gain.  He  hath  blinded  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their 
"heart;  that  they  Ihould  not  fee  with  their  eyes,  norun- 
"  derftand  with  their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  fliould 
"  heal  them."     So  that  nothing  is  more  efTential  to  an 
acceptable  approach  to  God,  in  the  duties  of  his  worfhip 
in  general,  and  particularly   to  receiving  the   feals  of  his 
covenant,  than  a  thorough  and  univerfal   feparation  from 
all  known  fm,  Job  xi.   13,14.    "If  thou   prepare  thine 
"  heart,  and  ftretch  out  thine  hands  towards  him  ;   if  ini- 
"  quity  be  in  thine  hand,  put  it  far  away,  and  let   not 
"  wickednefs  dwell  in  tiiy  tabernacles." 

4.  He  will  not  hear  them  when  they  cry  for  mercy  at 
laft.  Sooner  or  later  the  fmner's  eyes  Ihall  be  opened. 
Sooner  or  later  he  fliall  be  convinced  of  the  folly  of  his 
miferablc  choice.  Many  of  thofe  who  regard  iniquity  in 
their  hearts,  fleep  in  fecurity,  and  flatter  themfelves  with 
miilakcn  hopes  ;  but.  Gal.  vf.  7,  "Be  not  deceived  :  God 
"  is  not  mocked  ;  for  \vhatfoever  a  man  foweth,  that  fhall 
"  he  alfo  reap."  From  the  account  given  by  our  Saviour^ 
it  would  appear  that  the  final  featence  lliall,  in  many  in- 


^^  The  Petitions  of  the 

fiances,  be  matter  of  furprife  as  well  as  terror  to  the  fm- 
ner.  Matt,  vii,  22,23,"  Many  will  fay  to  me  in  that  day» 
"  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophefied  in  thy  name  ?  and 
"  in  thy  name  have  caft  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy  name  done 
"  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  will  I  profefs 
"  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart  from  me,  ye  that 
"  work  iniquity.''  Nay,  perhaps  we  may  fay  that  to 
fome,  the  day  of  God's  mercy  may  be  over  before  the 
clofe  of  life ;  and  they  may  find  no  place  for  repentance, 
though  they  may  feek  it  carefully,  and  with  tears.  Not 
but  that  wherever  there  is  true  penitence,  even  at  the 
eleventh  hour,  forgivenefs  will  be  the  effeft  ;  but  we  may 
jullly  fuppofe  that  there  may  be  a  defpairing  cry  for  mer- 
cy, from  the  apprehcnfions  of  impending  judgment,  with- 
out any  thorough  convidlion  of  fm.  The  reception  that 
fuch  will  meet  with,  and  the  reafon  upon  v/hich  it  is 
founded,  is  rcprefented  in  the  ftrongeft  language,  Prov. 
i.  24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  "  Becaufe  I  have  called,  and  ye 
"  refufed ;  I  have  llretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man 
"  regarded ;  but  ye  have  fet  at  nought  all  my  counfel, 
"  and  would  none  of  my  reproof  ;  I  alfo  will  laugh  at 
"  your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh  : 
**  when  your  fear  cometh  as  defolation,  and  your  de- 
"  llruftion  cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  diftrefs  and 
"  anguifh  cometh  upon  you  :  then  fhall  they  call  upon 
"  me,  but  I  will  not  anfwer  ;  they  Ihall  feek  me  early, 
**  but  they  fhall  not  find  me»" 

I  proceed  now  to  make  fome  pradical  improvement 
«f  this  fubjed  for  your  inftrudlion  and  diredion.  And, 
I.  Suffer  me  to  fpeak  a  little  to  thofe  who  live  in  the 
open  habitual  practice  of  grofs  fin.  It  grieves  me  to 
think,  ray  brethren,  that  any  fuch  fhould  be  found  or 
fuppofed  in  this  worfhipping  affembly-  It  didreffes  me 
Aill  more,  to  think  that  any  fuch  fhould  have  the  pre- 
fumption  to  afli,  or  the  art  to  obtain  permilTion,  and  the? 
dreadful  hardinefs  to  fit  down  at  the  Lord's  table.  I  fhalt 
defcribe  you  not  by  your  names,  which  are  known  to 
men,  but  your  chara^ers  and  hearts,  which  are  open  be- 
fore God,     Swearers  and  profariers  of  Jehovah's  name, 


imiftcere  unai) ailing.  595 

defpifers  of  his  Sabbaths,  fcorners  of  facreJ  things,  ne- 
glefters  of  prayer,  fens  of  violence,  midnight  rioters, 
beaftly  drunkards,  unclean  fornicators,  takers  and  holders 
of  unjuft  gain,  liars  and  flanderers,  hard-hearted  oppref- 
fors,  and  whofoever  livcth  under  the  dominion  of  known 
fm.  Is  the  nature  of  God  fo  holy,  is  his  law  fo  fpiritual, 
is  his  judgment  fo  fevere,  that  thofe  who  but  regard  ini- 
quity in  their  hearts,  Ihall  inevitably  perifh  ;  then  how 
lliall  you  efcape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?  Is  memory  fo 
unfaithful,  as  not  now  to  bring  your  fins  to  remembrance  ? 
Is  confcience  fo  feared  as  not  to  charge  you  with  the  guilt  ? 
Can  you  doubt  the  being,  do  you  not  feel  the  prefcnce, 
do  you  not  fear  the  judgment  of  God.  ?  "  The  wicked 
"  Ihall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget 
*'  God  ;  for  Tophct  is  ordained  of  old,*'  &:c. 

Oh,  that  it  would  pleafe  God,  by  his  omnipotent  grace, 
to  reach  your  hearts,  to  fhakcyour  confidence,  to  humble 
you  to  the  duft.  I  call  God  to  record,  that  you  have  re- 
ceived warning.  1  know  that  you  may  defpife  it ;  I  am 
afraid  that  many  will  do  fo.  Away  to  your  cups,  away  to 
to  the  blcfled  llage,  that  dear  friend  to  virtue  ;  away  to 
your  merry,  fecial  life,  drink  confufion  to  your  preachers, 
and  pour  forth  every  tern\  of  reproach  that  your  little  wit 
can  fuggeft,  againft:  thefe  poor  prieft;.ridden  creatures,  who 
are  afraid  of  their  minifier's  reproof.  Alas,  alas  !  when 
the  king  of  terrors,  on  his  pale  horfe,  (hall  make  his  ap- 
proach, you  will  be  of  another  mind,  unlefs  perhaps,  as 
it  often  happens,  you  meet  with  a  fudden  call,  and  imme- 
diate tranllation  from  the  fire  of  luft  to  the  fire  of  hell. 

2.  Let  me  intreat  you,  my  dear  brethren,  from  what  has 
been  faid,  to  fearch  and  try  yourfelves,  whether  you  regard 
iniquity  in  your  hearts,  or  not.  This  is  the  rather  necef- 
fary,  as  you  have  in  view  an  immediate  and  folemn  ap- 
peal to  God,  that  you  are  fincere  in  his  covenant.  Does 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  polTefs  you  in  fecret,  as  well  as  in  pub- 
lic ?  Are  you  willing  that  it  fliould  be  fo  ?  Is  it  your  daily 
ftudy,  and  is  it  the  fubjcft  of  your  daily  prayer,  to  have 
a  deeper  and  more  lively  impreflion  of  his  prefence  upon 
your  fpirits  ?  Is  it  truly  matter  of  comfort  to  you,  when 
you  arc  delivered  from  the  fear  of  human  cenfure,  or  dc- 


596  I'he  Petitions  of  the 

fire  of  human  approbation  ?  Have  you  ever  got  above 
both  in  your  experience,  and  do  you  not  wifh  to  maintain 
the  Superiority  ?  If  it  is  fo,  happy,  happy  are  you  indeed ; 
and  may  the  Lord  himfelf  lift  up  his  countenance  upon 
you,  and  give  you  peace. 

Do  you  know  what  it  is  to  mourn  over  fecret  fms,  the 
vanity  of  3'our  minds,  the  worldhnefs  of  your  affections  ? 
And  do  you  truly  make  confcience  of  keeping  the  heart 
with  all  diligence,  becaufe  out  of  it  are  the  illues  of  life  ? 
I  will  not  afls:,  becaufe  I  know  you  cannot  deny,  that  you 
have  had  many  fmful  thoughts,  in  breach  of  every  com- 
mand of  God.  But  are  they  approved,  or  abhorred  ?  are 
they  fubmitted  to,  or  refilled  ?  Are  they  now  recoUeded 
with  pleafure,  with  indifference,  or  with  fliame  ? 

What  are  your  thoughts  with  regard  to  the  fms  of 
others  ?  Have  you  ever  grieved  for  them  in  truth  ?  Do 
not  think  that  lam  leading  you  to  oftentation.  I  do  not 
aOi  you  whether  you  have  openly  teftified  againft  them,  or 
honeftly  reproved  them  ;  becaufe,  though  thefe  are  both 
important  and  binding  duties,  they  may  be  more  eafily 
counterfeited  ;  and  I  am  not  now  prefling  you  to  the  dif- 
charge  of  your  duty  to  others,  but  trying  your  fmcerity 
before  God.  Have  you  therefore,  mourned  in  fecret  for 
the  fms  of  others  ?  have  they  ever  brought  you  to  your 
knees  ?  have  they  added  fervor  to  your  prayers  ?  If  it  be  fo,  I 
cannot  think  that  you  regard  iniquity  in  your  own  hearts. 
This  is  no  Pharifaical  hypocrify.  It  is  known  only  to 
God.  The  profane  cannot  curfe  you  for  it,  becaufe  they 
do  not  hear  it :  and  if  they  were  told  it,  it  is  probable  they 
Vv'ould  not  believe  it. 

But  methinks  I  hear  fome  ferious  perfon  fay,  I  have  at- 
tended to  the  interrogatories ;  and  though  I  would  fain 
hope  I  know  fomething  of  a  fenfe  of  duty  in  all,  yet,  oh ! 
how  miferably  defe6\ive  have  I  been.  Nothing  like  that 
deep  fenfe  of  the  prefence  of  God,  that  humiliation  of 
fpirlt  for  fm,  that  concern  for  the  divine  glory,  that  I 
ought  to  have  had,  that  I  have  fometimes  felt  for  a  feafon, 
and  that  I  wiflied  to  preferve. 

Therefore,  my  brethren,  I  would  once  more  alk  you, 
can  you  now  fmcerely  pray  that  God  would  fearch  and 


insincere  una'uailin^.  597 


'it 


try  your  ways,  dlfcover  every  fecret  fin,  convince  you  of 
it,  humble  you  for  it,  and  deliver  you  from  it  ?  Is  there  no 
referve,  no  exception  whatever,  nothing  that  you  are  wil- 
linpjto  cover,  that  you  are  backward  to  examine,  and  dif- 
pofed  to  excufe  ?  Is  there  no  doubtful  pradice,  but  what 
you  are  willing  to  think  of  deliberately,  to  examine  impar- 
tially, and  if  it  either  appears  to  be  fmiul,  or  but  remain- 
eth  doubtful,  to  furrender  freely  ?  If  3'ou  can  fay  there  is 
not,  then  after  having  pleaded  your  divorce  from  every 
fm,  I  have  only  further  to  rob  you  of  every  duty  too,  and 
leave  you  nothing  whereof  to  glory ;  to  call  you  to  re- 
nounce all  felf-righteoufnefs  and  felf-dependance,  and 
make  you  to  fay,  "  Not  1,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  was 
*'  with  me  :  furely,  in  the  Lord  have'I  righteoufnefs  and 
"  ftrength." 

3.  I  fhall  only  now  fhut  up  this  difcourfe  with  giving 
you  a  very  few  directions  for  your  future  prefervation. 

1.  Guard  againd  the  fm  or  fms  that  you  may  be  moll  li- 
able to,  from  your  natural  temper  and  conftitution,  which 
may  be  faid  to  be  your  own  iniquity,  and  the  fm  that  moft 
eafily  befets  you.  It  is  lamentable  to  think  what  difgrace- 
ful  blemiflies  are  fometimes  to  be  feen  in  the  conduit  of 
tlie  fervants  of  God.  I  know  this  is  permitted  in  Provi- 
dence, and  cannot  be  wholly  prevented.  But  no  watch- 
ful Chrirtian  will  fit  flill  eafily  under  it.  If  fuch  a  fin 
gives  him  no  reft,  he  fhould  give  it  no  quarter.  Some 
very  bad  things  are  fometimes  borne  with,  under  the  no- 
tion of  unavoidable  infirmities.  Yet  they  are  to  the  preju- 
dice of  your  own  peace  ;  they  are  a  reproach  to  yourpro- 
fefllon,  and  a  diihonor  to  your  maftcr.  If  you  cannot 
wholly  dellroy,  I  befeech  you,  wound  and  weaken  them. 
If  there  is  no  probability  that  they  will  die  wholly,  but 
with  the  body,  lef  it  be  feen  that  they  are  daily  lofing 
ftrength,  and  dying  gradually. 

2  Set  a  particular  guard  upon  thofe  fins  that  you  may 
be  oppofed  to,  in  your  ordinary  calling  :  in  that  way, 
where  you  go  moft  frequently,  the  tempter  knows  he  can 
moft  eafily  find  you,  and  he  will  certainly  be  there  to  meet 
you.     Befides,  intereft  often  pleads  fo  flronglv  In  btlmlf 

Vol.  IL  4  F 


59*8  The  Petitions  of  the ^  is'c. 

of  fome  fins  of  this  kind,  and  they  are  fo  much  juilified  by 
example,  that  few  can  withftand  the  temptation.  But 
confider,  I  befeech  you,  that  no  honor,  profit,  or  conve- 
nience can  poffibly  counterbalance  the  lofs  of  God's  favor. 
What  a  miserable  excellency  is  it  indeed,  to  add  a  little 
to  our  earthly  llore  at  tlie  expence  of  his  difpleafure,  while 
we  ourfelves  are  in  his  hand,  and  all  that  we  have  is  in 
the  moft  abfolute  manner  at  his  difpolal. 

In  the  lafi:  place,  if  you  defire  to  be  preferved  from  the 
dominion  of  fin,  feat  yourfelves  often  in  the  prefence  of 
God.  He  feeth  in  fecret ;  his  eyes  do  fee,  his  eye-lids  try 
the  children  of  men.  Alk  of  him,  therefore,  that  he  may 
not  fuffer  you  to  deceive  yourfelves,  but  lead  you  in  the 
paths  of  righteoufnefs  for  his  name's  fake. 


[     599     ] 


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CHRISTIAN     MAGNANIMITY. 
A 

SERMON. 


Preached  at  Princeton,  September,  ^715*  ^^^  Sabbath 
preceding  /Z>^  annual  commencement;  and  again 
with  Additions,  September  23,  1787.  To  which  is 
added,  an  Address  to  the  Senior  Class,  who%\jet% 
to  receive  the  degree  (t/"  Bachelor^  Arts. 


1  Thess.  ii.  12. 

That  you  would  walk  worthy  of  Cod,  who  hath  called  you 
into  his  kingdo?n  and  glory. 

THE  prefent  flate  was  intended  to  be,  and  I  think 
muft,  by  every  perfon  of  refledlion,  be  admitted  to 
be  a  continual  trial  of  the  faith  and  conflancy  of  a  Chrif- 
tian.  It  is  therefore  a  duty  we  owe  to  others  in  general, 
but  in  a  fpecial  manner,  the  elder  to  the  younger,  to  give 
them  faithful  warning  of  the  temptations  and  dangers,  to 
which  they  mufl;  of  neceflity  be  expofed,  if  they  mean  to 
walk  in  the  paths  of  piety  and  virtue.  It  hath  often  occur- 
red to  me,  in  meditating  on  this,fubje(ft,  that  as  falfe  mo- 
ney is  mod  dangerous  when  it  is  likell  to  the  true,  Co 
thofe  principles,  and  that  character,  which  approach  the 
nearell  to  true  religion,  if  notv/ithdanding  they  are  efTen- 
tially  different  from  it,  will  be  moft  ready  to  impofe  on 
an  uncautious  and  unlufpe6ling  mind.  Therefore,  if  there 


6oo  Christian  Magnanimity. 

is  fuch  a  thing  as  a  ivorldly  virtue^  a  fyftem  of  principles 
and  duty,  di6tated  by  the  fpirit  of  the  world,  and  the  Itaiid- 
ard  of  approbation  or  blame  with  the  men  of  the  world, 
and  if  this  is  at  bottom  eflentially  different  from,  and 
fometimes  dire6lly  oppofed  to  the  fpirit  of  the  gofpel, 
it  muft  be  of  all  others,  the  mofl:  dangerous  temptation, 
to  perfons  of  a  liberal  education  and  an  ingenious  turn  of 
mind. 

This,  if  I  am  not  miftaken,  is  really  the  cafe.  There 
are  fome  branches  of  true  religion  which  are  univerfally 
approved,  and  which  impiety  itfelf  cannot  fpeak  againfl ; 
fuch  as  truth  and  integrity  in  fpeech,  honefiy  in  dealing, 
humanity  and  compaffion  to  perfons  in  diilrefs.  But 
there  are  other  particulars,  in  which  the  worldly  virtue, 
and  the  ChrifHan  virtue,  feem  to  be  different  things.  Of 
thefe  I  fhall  feleft  one,  as  an  example,  viz.  fpirit,  dig- 
nity or  greatnefs  of  mind.  This  feems  to  be  entirely  of 
the  worldly  cafi: :  It  holds  a  very  high  place  in  the  eileem 
of  all  worldly  men  :  The  boldeil  preteiifions  are  often 
made  to  it,  by  thofe  who  treat  religion  with  negledt,  and 
religious  perfons  with  difdain  or  defiance.  It  is  alfo  a 
virtue  of  a  very  dazzling  appearance  ;  ready  to  captivate 
the  mind,  and  particularly  to  make  a  deep  impreffion  on 
young  perfons  when  they  firfi:  enter  into  life.  At  the 
fame  time,  the  gofpel  feems  to  Hand  direftly  oppofed  to  it. 
The  humility  of  the  creature,  the  abafement  and  contri- 
tion of  the  fmner,  the  dependence  and  felf-denial  of  the  be- 
liever, and  above  all  the  Ihame  and  reproach  of  the  crofs 
itfelf,  feem  to  confpire  in  obliging  us  to  renounce  it. 

What  fliall  we  fay  then,  my  brethren  ?  Shall  we  fay 
that  magnanimity  is  rto  virtue  at  all,  and  that  no  fuch  ex- 
cellence belongs  to  human  nature  ?  Or  fhall  we  admit 
that  there  is  beauty  and  excellence  in  it — confeffmg  at  the 
fame  time  that  it  does  not  belong  to  religion,  and  only 
fay,  that  though  we  want  this,  we  have  many  other  and 
better  qualities  in  its  place  ?  To  this  I  can  never  agree  ; 
for  every  real  excellence  is  confident  with  every  other  ; 
nay,  every  real  excellence  is  adorned  and  illuflrated  by 
every  other.  Vices  may  be  inconfiftent  with  each  other, 
but  virtues  never  can.     And  therefore,  as  magnanimi- 


Christian  Magnanimity.  6i>t 

ty  is  an  amiable  and  noble  quality — one  of  the  greateft  or- 
naments of  our  nature,  fo  I  afHrm  that  it  belom;s  only  to 
true  and  undefiled  religion,  and  that  every  appearance 
of  the  one,  without  the  other,  is  not  only  defective,  but 
falfe. 

The  Holy  Scriptures,  it  is  true,  do  chiefly  infifl:  upon 
what  is  proper  to  humble  our  pride,  and  to  brinjr  us  to  a 
jull  apprehenfion  of  our  character  and  ilate.  This  was 
wife  and  jull,  becaufe  of  that  corruption  and  mifery  into 
which  we  are  fallen,  the  contrary  would  have  been  unjuO. 
It  is  evidently  more  necelfary,  in  the  prefent  flate  of  hu- 
man nature,  to  refirain  pride,  than  to  kindle  ambition. 
But  as  the  fcripture  points  out  our  original  dignit:)'-,  and 
the  true  glory  of  our  nature,  fo  every  true  penitent  is 
there  taught  to  afpire  after  the  noblefl  charader,  and  to 
entertain  the  molt  exalted  hopes.  In  the  paflage  which 
I  have  chofen  as  the  fubjeft  of  my  difcourfe,  you  fee  the 
Apoflle  exhorts  the  Thelfalonians  to  walk  fuitably  to  the 
dignity  of  their  charadter,  and  the  importance  of  their  pri- 
vileges, which  is  a  fhort  but  juft  defcription  of  true  and 
genuine  greatnefs  of  mind. 

My  fmgle  purpofe,  from  thefe  words,  at  this  time,  is  to 
explain  and  recommend  magnanimity  as  a  Chrillian  vir- 
tue ;  and  I  wifh  to  do  it  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  neither  to 
weaken  its  luilre,  nor  admit  any  degree  of  that  corrupt 
mixture,  by  which  it  is  often  counterfeited,  and  greatly 
debafed.  Some  infidels  have  in  terms  aPiirmed,  that 
Chrillianity  has  banifhed  magnanimity,  and  by  its  pre- 
cepts of  meeknefs,  humility,  and  palfive  fubmiflion  to  in- 
jury, has  deftroyed  that  noblenefs  of  fentiment,  which 
rendered  the  ancients  fo  illuitrious,  and  gives  fo  much 
majelly  and  dignity  to  the  hillories  of  Greece  and  Rome. 
In  oppofition  to  this,  I  hope  to  be  able  to  Ihew  that  real 
greatnefs  is  infeparable  from  fincere  piety  ;  and  that  any 
defedl  in  the  one,  muft  neceffarily  be  a  difcernible  blemifh 
in  the  other.  With  this  view,  I  will,  firlt,  give  you  the 
principles  of  magnanimity  in  general,  as  a  natural  quali- 
ty ;  fecondly,  1  will  Ihew  what  is  neceflary  to  give  it  real 
value,  as  a  moral  virtue  ;  and,  thirdly,  fliew  that  it  fhines 
with  the  moll  perfect  brightnefs  as  a  Chrillian  grace ; 


6o2  Christian  Magnanimity. 

after,  will  improve  the  fubjeQ:,  by  a  practical  application 
of  what  may  be  faid,  for  your  inftrudlion  and  direction. 

Firft,  then,  let  me  flate  the  principles  of  magnanimity, 
in  general,  as  a  natural  quality.  I  think  it  mufl:  be  ad- 
mitted, that  as  there  is  a  real  difference  between  bodies,  as 
to  fizc  and  bulk,  as  well  as  other  fenfible  qualities,  fo  there 
is  a  real  characfer  of  greatnefs,  or  meannefs,  applicable 
to  the  mind,  diftinil  from  its  other  qualities  or  powers. 
It  is  however,  I  apprehend,  a  fimple  impreihon,  which 
cannot  be  explained,  or  further  analized,  but  may  eafily 
be  felt,  and  is  beft  illuflrated  by  its  effefls.  Thefe  may 
be  fummed  up  in  the  following  particulars  :  To  maj^na- 
nimity  it  belongeth  to  attemipt,  i.  Great  and  difficult 
things  ;  z.  To  afpire  after  great  and  valuable  pofieflions  ; 
3,  To  encounter  dangers  with  refolution;  4.  To  llruggle 
againft  difficulties  with  perfeverance  j  and,  5.  To  bear 
fufi'erings  with  fortitude  and  ])atience. 

1.  It  belongs  to  magnanimity  to  attem.pt  great  and  dif- 
ficult things.  Thofe  who,  from  a  love  of  floth  and  eafe, 
negie6l  the  exercife  or  improvement  of  their  povv'ers,  and 
thofe  who  apply  them  witli  ever  fo  great  affiduity  and  at- 
tention, to  things  mean  or  of  fmall  confequence,  are  plain- 
ly deititute  of  this  quality.  AVe  perceive  a  meannefs  and 
want  of  fpirit  in  this  refpe6l,  when  particular  perfons  fall 
belov/  their  rank  in  life;  or  when,  as  is  too  frequently 
the  cafe  in  any  rank,  they  fall  below  human  nature  itfelf. 
When  a  prince,  or  other  perfon  of  the  firlt  order  and  im- 
portance in  human  life,  bulies  himfelf  in  nothing  but  the 
rnoft  trifling  amufements,  or  arts  of  little  value,  we  call  it 
mean ;  and  when  any  man  endowed  with  rational  pow- 
ers, lofes  them  through  neglett,  or  deftroys  them  by  the 
moft  grovelling  fenfuality,  v/e  fay  he  is  afting  below  him- 
felf. The  contrary  of  this,  therefore,  or  the  vigorous  ex- 
ertipn  of  all  our  powers,  and  particularly  the  application 
of  tliem  to  things  of  moment  and  difficulty,  is  real  magna- 
nimity. 

2.  It  belongs  to  magnanimity  to  afpire  after  great  and 
valuable  poffeffions.  It  is  more  difficult  proj:>erly  to  illuf- 
tratc  this  as  a  branch  of  magnanimity,  becaufe  of  its  fre- 


Christian  Magnanimity,  <')03 

quent  pervevfion,  vvhicli  will  be  afterwards  explained. 
It  feems  however,  to  be  necellarily  included  in  the  gene- 
ral  charadler.  A  great  mind  has  great  capacities  of  en- 
joyment as  well  as  action.  And  as  there  is  a  difference 
between  the  bleflings  in  our  view,  both  in  point  of  dignity 
and  extent,  iuch  a  man  will  not  eafily  be  latisfied,  or  put 
up  with  what  is  either  mean  or  fcanty,  while  he  can  ac- 
quire  and  poffefs  a  better  and  more  extenfive  portion. 
The  large  and  increafmg  defires  of  the  human  mind,  have 
often  been  made  an  argument  for  the  dignity  of  our  na- 
ture, and  ourJiaving  been  made  for  fomething  that  is  great 
and  excellent. 

3.  It  belongs  to  magnanimity  to  encounter  dangers 
with  refolution.  This  is  infeparable  from,  and  conlti- 
tutes  a  leading  part  of  the  charafter.  Even  the  mofl 
excellent  and  valuable  fervices  to  mankind,  if  they  are 
attended  with  no  difficulty  at  all,  or  meet  with  no  oppo- 
fition,  though  they  retain  the  charatter  of  utility,  yet,  for 
want  of  this  circumftance,  they  lofe  that  of  greatnefs. — 
Courage  is  always  confidered  as  a  great  quality  ;  it  has 
had  the  admiration,  or  rather  adoration,  of  mankind  in 
every  age.  Many,  when  they  fpeak  of  magnanimity, 
mean  nothing  elfe  but  courage ;  and  when  they  fpeak  oi 
meannefs,  have  little  other  idea  but  that  of  timidity. — 
Neither  is  there,  I  think,  any  human  weaknefs  that  is 
more  the  objeft  of  contempt  and  difdain,  than  cowardice, 
which  when  applied  to  life  in  general,  is  commonly  called 
pulillanimity. 

4.  It  belongs  to  greatnefs,  to  druggie  againd  difficul- 
ties with  fleadinefs  and  perfeverance.  Perfeverance  is 
nothing  elfe  but  continued  and  inflexible  courage.  "We 
fee  fome  perfoiis,  who  fliew  the  greatefl  activity  and 
boldnefs  for  a  fealbn  ;  but  time  and  oppofition  weakens 
their  force,  and  ieems,  if  I  may  fpeak  fo,  to  exhaull  their 
courage,  as  if  they  walled  the  power  by  the  exertion. 
Perfeverance,  therefore,  is  neceflary  to  greatnefs.  ¥<:\v 
diings  are  more  contrary  to  this  character  than  ficklenefs 
and  unlleadinefs.  We  commonly  join  together  the  cha- 
raders  of  weak  and  changeable. 


6.04  Christian  Magnanimity. 

5.  In  the  lafl  place,  It  belongs  to  greatnefs  to  bear  fuf- 
ferings  with  fortitude  and  patience.  This  is  a  kindred 
.quality  to  the  former,  and  is  neceflary  to  complete  the 
character  of  magnanimity.  Such  is  the  (late  of  human 
things,  that  fuffering  is  in  one  way  or  another,  wholly 
unavoidable.  It  often  happens,  that  difficulties  cannot 
be  removed,  or  enemies  cannot  be  conquered  ;  and  then 
it  is  the  laft  effort  of  greatnefs  of  mind,  to  bear  the  weight 
of  the  one,  or  the  cruelly  of  the  other,  with  firmnefs  and 
patience.  This  virtue  has  always  b£;en  of  the  greateft 
reputation.  It  is  a  well  known  faying  of  a  heathen  phi- 
lofopher,  that  a  great  man,  fuffering  with  invincible  pa- 
tience under  a  weight  of  misfortunes,  is  a  fight  which 
even  the  gods  mufl:  behold  with  admiration. 

Having  thus  pointed  out  the  principles,  or  rather  enu- 
merated the  chief  effects  of  magnanimity,  as  a  natural 
quality,  let  us  now,  in  the  fecond  place,  confider  what  is 
necelTary  to  give  it  real  value  as  a  moral  virtue.  This 
is  of  the  utmofl  importance,  and  mufl  appear  fo  to  all 
who  will  confider  the  fubjeft  with  attention.  That  I 
may  fet  the  matter  in  as  clear  a  light  as  poffible,  obferve, 
that  to  render  magnanimity  a  valuable  quality,  it  muil 
further  have  the  following  charafters. 

1.  The  obje6l  of  our  defires  mud  be  jufl  as  v/ell  as  great. 
Some  of  the  ncblefi:  powers  of  the  human  mind,  have 
often  been  exerted  in  invading  the  rights,  inftead  of  pro- 
moting the  intereil  and  happinefs  of  mankind.  As  the 
hiftory  of  the  workl  is  little  ell'e  than  the  hidory  of  human 
guilt ;  fo,  many  of  the  mofl  illuftrious  names  tranfmitted 
down  to  us,  have  been  thofe  of  the  moll  aftive  and  fuc- 
cefsful  dellroyers  of  their  fellow- creatures.  There  may 
be,  and  there  have  been  in  fuch  perfons,  many  or  moll 
of  the  injTredients  of  natural  greatnefs  of  mind  ;  but  thefe 
have  only  ferved  to  make  the  characters,  in  the  eye  of 
reafon,  more  hideous  and  detellable. 

2.  Our  defires  ought  to  be  governed  by  wifdom  and 
prudence,  as  well  as  juflice.  If  any  perfon  either  forms 
difficult  profpecls,  or  afpires  after  great  poflcffions,  and 
in  profecution  of  his  purpofes,  exerts  ever  'fo  much  cou- 
rage, fortitude  and  patience  ;  yet,  if  thefe  defigns  are  lefs 


Christian  Magnanimiiy.  Co 


:> 


ufeful,  or  tlicfe  poflefljons  lefs  valuable,  than  others  to 
which  he  might  have  applied  the  lame  talents,  it  cannot 
defervc  the  name  of  true  magnanimity.  If  any  perfon, 
for  example,  forms  a  rcfolution  of  exerting  his  ikill,  in 
fuch  feats  or  performances  as  have  nothing  or  very  little 
valuable  in  them,  but  that  they  are  difficult  and  uncom- 
mon, I  think  no  man  will  pretend  that  he  has  any  title 
to  the  charafter  of  greatnefs  of  mind,  otherwife  a  rope- 
dancer  might  be  a  hero :  Or,  if  any  perfon  fhould  fpend 
a  whole  life,  in  the  moft  unwearied  application  to  the  fin- 
gle  purpofe  of  accumulating  wealth,  however  vafl:  his  de- 
fires,  or  however  aftonilhing  his  fuccefs,  his  merit  would 
be  very  fmall.  Nay,  we  muft  be  fenfible  that  he  has  lofl 
many  opportunities  of  doing  fignal  fervice  to  mankind, 
and  of  acquiring  more  valuable  and  durable  enjoyments, 
while  in  purfuit  of  this,  which  after  all,  will  difappoint 
his  hopes. 

3.  The  principle  ofa6lion  mud  be  honorable,  as  well 
as  the  achievements  illuftrious.  If  a  perfon  does  things 
ever  fo  extraordinary  in  their  nature,  overcomes  the 
greateft  difficulties,  or  braves  the  moft  formidable  dangers, 
merely  to  make  his  name  famous,  we  muft  at  once  per- 
ceive how  much  it  detracts  even  from  his  name  itfelf. 
This  is  not  the  language  of  religion  only,  it  is  the  lan- 
guage of  reafon,  and  the  dictate  of  the  human  heart.  An 
infatiable  thirft  for  praife,  is  fo  far  from  being  amiable, 
that  it  is  hateful  or  contemptible.  I  am  fenfible  that  a 
thirft  for  fame,  is  not  only  apparent  in,  but  feems  to  have 
been  confefled  by  many  of  the  moft  diftinguiftied  heroes 
of  antiquity  ;  but  as  it  certainly  docs  abate  in  a  good 
degree,  the  luftrc  of  their  good  actions,  fo  the  indulgence 
that  is  given  them,  upon  this  head,  is  wholly  owing  to 
the  difadvantages  they  lay  under,  in  a  ftate  of  heathcnifm, 
and  their  ignorance  of  a  better  and  nobler  principle. — 
"  Nothing,"  fays  an  eminent  author,  "  can  be  great,  the 
"  contempt  of  which  is  great ;"  and  therefore,  if  a  con- 
tempt  of  riches,  a  neglect  of  fame,  and  a  rcadinefs  to 
facrificc  both  to  duty  and  ufefulnefs,  is  one  of  the  mo't 
glorious  charafters  we  can  conceive,  it  is  plain,  that  not 
tk\Q  deeds,  but  the  priniciple  is  the  evidence,  and  not  the 

Vol.  II.  4  G 


6q6  Christian  Magnanimity, 

head  nor  the  hands  of  man,  but  the  heart  is  tha  feat  of 
genuine  greatnefs. 

4.  In  the  laft  place,  in  order  to  real  greatnefs,  every 
attempt  mufl  be  pofTible  and  rational,  perhaps  probable. 
Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  find  perfons,  under  the 
pretence  of  great  and  iiluftrious  dcfigns,  profecuting  what 
is  not  of  any  value  when  obtained,  and  at  the  fame  time 
fcarcely  poffible,  and  no  way  probable  to  be  obtained  at 
all.  This  is  declining  altogether  from  the  line  of  great- 
nefs, and  going  into  the  path  of  extravagance.  Again, 
fliould  any  man  undertake  what  he  was  altogether  unable 
to  perform,  however  excellent  the  defign  were  in  itfelf, 
we  would  not  dignify  it  even  with  the  name  of  ambition  ; 
he  would  acquire  and  deferve  the  character,  not  of  great- 
nefs, but  of  folly  or  madnefs. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  plain  that  thefe  moral  principles, 
muft  enter  into  the  compofition  of  true  greatnefs,  and  that, 
u-hcn  they  are  wanting,  tne  natural  characters  mentioned 
before,  degenerate  into  vice,  and  affume  the  names  of 
pride,  ambition,  temerity,  ferocity  and  obflinacy. 

This  leads  me,  in  the  third  place,  to  lliew,  not  only 
that  there  is  nothing  in  real  religion,  contrary  to  magna- 
nimity, but  that  there,  and  there  only,  it  appears  in  its 
beauty  and  perfeclion.  Let  me  briefly  run  over,  and 
apply  to  religion,  the  above-mentioned  ingredients  of 
magnanimity. 

I.  It  is  to  attempt  great  and  cliiHcult  things.  Religion 
calls  us  to  the  greateft  and  moft  noble  attempts,  wheth.er 
in  a  private  or  a  public  view.  In  a  private  view,  it  calls 
us  to  refifl:  and  fubdue  every  corrupt  and  finful  paffion, 
however  ftrongly  the  indulgence  is  folicited  by  the  tempt- 
ing object,  or  recommended  by  the  artful  feducer.  I'he 
importance  and  difficulty  of  this  flruggle,  appears  not 
only  from  the  holy  fcriptures,  but  from  the  experience 
and  teftimony  of  mankind  in  every  age.  What  cautions 
are  given  by  Solomon  upon  this  fubjeft  ?  "  He  that  is 
*■'  flow  to  anger,  is  better  than  the  mighty  and  he  that 
"  ruleth  his  fpirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city."  The  wifeft 
Heathens  have  inculcated  the  neceflity  of  felf-govern- 
ment,  and  the  danger  of  furrounding  temptation,  by  many 


Christian  Magnanimity.  607 

rnftruftive  images.  But  why  Ihoiikl  I  extend  this  part  of 
the  I'ubjc'ft  ?  How  few  are  fuccefsful  in  this  attempt  ? 
This  alone  is  a  fufficient  proof,  that  it  is  great  and  diffi- 
cult, and  every  perfon  exercifed  to  godlineis,  will  be 
abundantly  fenfible  of  it,  from  the  ftate  of  his  own  heart. 

In  a  public  view,  every  good  man  is  called  to  live  and 
aft  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  others.  Here 
he  has  as  extenfive  a  fcene  of  aftivity,  as  he  can  poflibly 
defire.  He  is  not  indeed  permitted  to  glory  or  to  build 
an  altar  to  his  own  vanity  ;  but  he  is  both  permitted  and 
obliged  to  exert  his  talents,  to  improve  his  time,  to  em- 
ploy his  fubflance,  and  to  hazard  his  life  in  his  Maker's 
fcrvice,  or  his  country's  caufe.  Nor  am  I  able  to  con- 
ceive any  charadcr  more  truly  great  than  that  of  one, 
whatever  be  his  ftation  or  profcllion,  who  is  devoted  to 
the  public  good  under  the  immediate  order  of  Providence. 
He  does  not  feek  the  bubble  reputation  in  the  deadly 
breach,  but  he  complains  of  no  difficulty,  and  refufes  no 
lervice,  if  hq  thinks  he  carries  the  commilTion  of  the  King 
of  kings. 

2.  The  truly  pious  man  afpires  after  the  greateft  and 
moil  valuable  pofleffions.  He  defpifes,  indeed,  the  un- 
certain and  the  unfatisfying  enjoyments  of  time.  His  de- 
fires  after  prefent  enjoyments,  are  fubjefted  to  the  will  of 
God.  He  has  given  them  up  without  referve,  yet  his  hea- 
venly Father  knoweth  that  he  hath  need  of  thefe  things, 
and  therefore  he  both  afks  and  hopes  to  receive  what  is 
fuitable  and  neceOary,  and  believes  that  a  little  that  ajuft 
man  hath,  is  better  than  the  riches  of  many  wicked.  But 
the  glorious  objeft  of  the  Chriflian's  ambition,  is  the  in- 
heritance incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away.  The  honorable  relation  he  Hands  in  to  God,  as  his 
adopted  child  inChrill  Jefus,  inclines  and  authorifes  him  to 
hope  for  this  purchafed  pofTeffion,  and  enables  him  to  look 
down  with  becoming  incliflerencc,  on  all  the  glory  of  this 
tranfitory  world.  Let  the  rich  man  glory  in  his  riches, 
and  the  Vv'ife  man  glory  in  his  wifdom  ;  he  only  glories 
in  this,  that  he  knoweth  the  Lord,  and  fliall  be  with  hin\ 
i'er  ever. 


6o8  Christian  Magiiaiiiinity. 

3.  True  piety  encounters  the  grcateil  dangers  with  rc- 
folution.  The  fear  of  God  is  the  only  effe(!lual  mean  to 
deliver  us  from  the  fear  of  man.  Experience  has  abun- 
dantly Ihewn,  that  the  fervants  ofChrift  have  adhered  to 
his  caufe,  and  made  profeflion  of  his  name,  in  oppofition 
to  all  the  terrors  which  infernal  policy  could  prefent  to 
them,  and  all  the  fufFerings,  with  which  the  mofl  favage 
inhumanity  could  afflift  them.  But  as  this  belongs  to  the 
cafe  of  perfecution  for  confcience  fake,  which,  by  the  pe- 
culiar kindnefs  of  Providence  is  exceedingly  rare  among 
us,  it  is  proper  to  obferve,  that  every  Chriflian  has  frequent 
opportunitiesof  manifefting  a  holy  refolution  in  encoun- 
tering the  reproach  and  derifion  of  v/orldly  men,  for  ad- 
hering to  his  duty.  And  when  we  confider  how  hard  it  is 
to  bear  reproach  and  fcorn,  called,  in  fcripture,  the  trial 
of  cruel  mockings^  there  will  appear  to  be  no  fmall  mea- 
1  are  of  dignity  and  heroifm  in  him,  who  can  calmly  fub- 
mit  to  it  from  every  quarter,  rather  than  depart  from  his 
duty.  There  are  not  a  few,  who  are  apt  to  boaft  of  their 
fpirit  and  refolution,  who  are  yet  unable  to  bear  reproach, 
and  meanly  make  the  fentiments  of  others,  and  the  ca- 
price of  faftiion,  the  rule  of  duty,  in  place  of  the  clear  dic- 
tates of  confcience  and  the  word  of  God.  How  contemp- 
tible is  this,  compared  to  the  conduct  of  that  man,  who 
feeks  no  fame,  but  by  honeft  means,  and  fears  no  reproach 
for  honeft  actions,  but  contents  himfelf  Avith  a  illent  and 
believing  regard  to  him  who  feeth  in  iecret^  and  who  fliall 
at  laft  bring  every  work  into  judgment. 

4.  True  piety  perfeveres  with  conftancy  in  oppofition 
to  continual  trial.  This  is  indeed  what  diftinguiflies  the 
Chriftian  vvarfare  from  that  of  every  other.  It  continues 
through  life,  and  the  laft  eneuiy  to  be  overcome  is  death. 
In  all  the  conflifts  betvveen  men  on  earth,  the  iiTiie  may 
be  fpeedily  expected,  and  the  reward  immediately  be- 
ftowed  ;  but  in  religion,  it  is  only  he  wlio  Ihall  endure  to 
the  end  that  fliall  be  laved.  This  adds  greatly  to  tiie  diffi- 
culty, and  feems  to  fiiew,  not  only  the  excellence  and 
beauty,  but  the  real  dignity  and  magnanimity  of  the  Chrif. 
tian  charafter. 


Christian  Magnanimity.  609 

5.  In  the  lad  place,  true  piety  endures  fuflering  with 
patience  and  fortitude.  If  we  refledl  upon  the  number  of 
luffering  martyrs,  whofe  teftimonies  are  upon  record,  we 
fliall  fee  with  what  calmnefs  and  compolure,  with  what 
undaunted  firmnefs,  and  fometimes  with  what  exultation 
and  triumph  they  have  gone  to  a  fcafFold,  or  been  tied  to 
a  (lake.  Can  any  perfon,  think  you,  who  hath  gone  to 
the  field  of  battle,  in  quefl:  of  glor)',  or  who  hath  braved 
the  danger  of  the  feas,  in  quefl:  of  wealth  or  power,  be 
once  compared  with  thofe  who  have  chearfuUy  given  up 
the  precious  life,  or  fubmitted  their  bodies  to  the  torture, 
to  keep  their  confciences  imdefilcd  ?  But,  my  brethren, 
Chriflian  patience  is  much  more  frequently  tried  in  ano- 
ther manner.  The  believer  has  made  an  unreferved  fur- 
render  of  liimfelf  and  his  all,  to  the  difpofal  of  Providence: 
His  faithfulnefs  to  this  promife,  is  brought  almoft:  everyday 
to  tlie  trial.  For  the  Chriflian  then  to  fuffer  reproach, 
without  rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing,  to 
be  fubmiflive  under  the  lofs  of  fubllance,  and  fay  with 
Job,  Job  i.  21.  "  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb, 
••'  and  nalved  ihall  I  return  thither  :  the  Lord  gave,  antl 
"  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  blcfled  be  the  name  of  the 
"  Loi'd." — To  yield  up  relations,  and  to  fay  with  David, 
2  Sam.  xii.  23.  "I  fliall  go  to  him,  but  he  fliall  not  return 
*' to  me."  To  look  forward  to  approaching  death,  and 
fay  with  the  apollle  Paul,  2  Tim.  iv.  6.  "  I  am  now  rea- 
*'  dy  to  be  oflered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
"  hand.'*  This  is  magnanimity  indeed  ;  thig  is  the  moll 
folid  glory  to  which  any  child  of  Adam  can  ix)flibly  attain. 
I  proceed  in  the  laft:  place,  to  make  fome  praftical  im- 
provement of  what  hatli  been  faid. 

I.  You  may  learn,  from  what  hath  been  faid,  that 
whenever  honor  differs  from  confcience,  it  is  a  treacherous 
guide  ;  wherever  fpirit  and  dignity  of  mind,  as  a  worldly 
virtue,  differs  from  true  religion,  and  even  from  the  fim- 
plicity  of  the  gofpel,  it  is  falfe  and  fpurious.  The  gofpel, 
it  is  true,  will  not  fuffer  men  to  feek  revenge,  or  to  de- 
light in  it.  It  will  humble  them  in  the  fight  of  God,  and 
make  them  fell-denied  in  the  prefence  of  men,  yet  it  will 
conffrain  them  cot  to  refufe  any  duty  to  the  one,  or  any 


6io  Christian  Magnanimity. 

ufeful  fcrvice  to  the  other.  It  will  not  fuffer  them  to  be 
ambitious  of  higher  places  of  honor  and  truft,  but  it  will 
make  them  aftive  and  zealous  in  the  duties  of  that  place, 
in  which  they  already  are.  It  will  not  fuffer  them  to  re- 
fent  injuries  and  gratify  revenge  ;  but  it  will  make  them 
withfland  a  king  upon  his  throne,  if  he  prefume  to  inter- 
fere in  the  matters  of  their  God.  What  is  there  here  that 
is  not  noble  ? 

After  all,  the  teflimony  in  favor  of  true  piety,  is  univer- 
fal,  if  carefully  attended  to.  Every  one  muil  acknowledge, 
that  oflentation,  andlove  ofpraife,  and  whatever  is  con- 
trary to  the  felf-denial  of  the  gofpel,  tarnifhes  the  beauty 
of  the  greateft  actions.  Courage  and  modelly,  merit  and 
humility,  majefly  and  condefcenfion,  appear  with  tenfold 
glory,  when  they  arc  united ;  it  is  impoflible  to  feparate 
them  ;  to  divide,  is  to  deftroy  them.  They  are  like  light 
and  Ihade  in  a  pifturc,  which  arc  neceffary  to  each  other, 
and  which,  by  their  union,  conftitute  the  beauty  and  aug- 
ment the  luftre  of  the  piece.  So  true  is  this,  that  thq 
highefi:  polifh  that  any  perfon  can  receive  in  commerce 
with  the  world,  is  to  have  an  apparent  difpofition  to  pre- 
fer the  intcrell  of  others  to  his  own,  to  guard  againft  every 
degree  of  offence,  and  to  be  always  ready  to  oblige.  I 
have  often  been  pleafed  with  that  obfervation  of  a  foreign- 
er of  high  rank,*  that  worldly  politenefs  is  only  an  im- 
perfect imitation  of  Chriflian  charity  ;  it  is  nothing  elfe 
but  a  Iludied  appearance  of  that  deference  to  the  judgment, 
and  attention  to  the  intereii  of  others,  which  a  true  Chrif- 
lian hath,  as  the  rule  of  his  duty,  and  the  difpofition  of  his 
heart. 

2.  SufTer  me  to  obferve,  that  as  Chriflian  magnanimi- 
ty is  more  excellent  than  that  of  the  world,  it  is  alfo  more 
prafticable,  and,  in  fact,  more  univerfal.  Worldly  mag- 
nanimity is  what  always  requires  fuch  talents,  as  do  not 
fall  to  the  lot  ©f  many,  and  luch  opportunities  for  its  exer- 
cife,  as  feldom  occur.  The  road  to  heroifm  is  not  open 
to  every  man.  But  that  magnanimity,  which  is  the  fruit 
of  true  religion,  being  indeed  the  produdl  of  divine  grace, 
is  a  virtue  of  the  heart,  and  may  be  attained  b}'  perfons  oC^ 

*  Tfee  Piince  of  Ccnti. 


christian  Mag?ianimity,  ill 

mean  talents  and  narrow  poffefTions,  and  in  the  very  low- 
efl  flations  of  human  life.  In  fadl,  there  have  been,  and 
are  daily  examples  of  it  in  every  rank.  We  fee  the  heroic 
fortitude  of  the  martyrs,  as  manifeft  in  thofe  of  early  years, 
and  the  weakeft  fex,  as  in  any  other ;  and  whoever  will 
vifit  the  folitary  walks  of  life,  may  find,  in  the  lowefi:  fta* 
tions,  humility,  thankfulnefs,  patience  under  affliftion, 
and  fubmiiTion  to  Providence,  llich  as  would  do  honor  to 
the  mofl:  appproved  virtue,  and  the  mod  enlightened 
mind.  To  defpife  riches,  and  rellrain  the  motions  of 
envy  and  impatience,  in  a  needy  ftate,  is  perhaps  as  truly 
noble  as  to  improve  them  wifely  in  a  higher. 

Thus  the  honor,  which  is  chiefly  delirable,  is  equally 
open  to  the  rich  and  to  the  poor,  to  the  learned  and  to  the 
unlearned,  to  the  wife  and  to  the  unwife,  as  it  cometh 
from  God,  who  is  no  refpe£ler  of  perfons.  One  of  the 
bell  and  happieft  effedls  of  ferious  reflection  is,  to  bring 
us,  in  a  great  meafure,  all  upon  a  level ;  as,  indeed,  in  one 
mofl:  important  refpeft,  the  magiftrate  with  his  robes,  the 
fcholar  with  his  learning,  and  the  day-laborer  that  flands 
unnoticed,  are  all  upon  the  fame  footing — for  v/<2  muft  all 
appear  before  the  judgment-feat  of  Chrifl;. 


[  6i3  ] 


•OM  0000  0000  0000  0000  eoOO  0000  OOOO  0009  0000  0000  OOOO  OCIOO  0000  0000  000^0000  0000  0000  OOM  0000  OOOO  OOOO  0000  0000 

ooso  axo  do*o  OOOO  oooo  cooo  oooo  oooa  OOOO  OOOO  OOOO  oooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  oooo  oo<M  0900  owo  OOOO  OOOO  coot  oxc  oeoo  two* 


A  N 


ADDRESS 


TO       THE 

STUDENTS  OF  THE   SENIOR  CLASS, 

On  the  Lord's  Day  preceding  Commencement^ 
September  23,  1775. 

Gentlemen, 

AS  you  have  now  finifhed  the  ufual  courfe  of  lludy  in 
this  place,  and  are  to  enter  upon  public  life  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  as  each  fhall  be  determined  by  inclina- 
tion or  other  circumftanccs,  I  willingly  embrace  the  op- 
portunity of  addreffing  an  exhortation  to  you,  at  this  im- 
portant and  interefting  period  of  your  lives.  I  do  not 
mean  to  fay  much,  if  any  thing,  that  you  have  never 
heard  before,  but  to  lay  hold  of  your  prefent  fituation, 
with  fome  hope,  that  what  may  be  faid  now,  will  remain 
upon  your  memory,  and  have  an  influence  upon  your 
future  conduft.  That  I  may  fpeak  with  the  greater  clear* 
nefs  and  precifion,  I  will  divide  what  I  have  to  fay,  into 
three  branches,  i.  Your  duty  to  God,  and  the  interefl  of 
your  fouls.  2.  The  profecuLion  of  your  lludies,  or  the 
improvement  of  your  talents,  as  members  of  fociety. 
3.  Prudence  in  your  commerce  with  the  world  in  gene- 
ral, your  outward  provifion,  and  other circuiiillances  in  liXe. 
Vol.  II.  4  H 


6 14  ~^^^  Address  to  the  Students 

I.  As  to  the  fjrft  of  thefe,  it  is  to  all  men  of  the  greateft 
moment.  Some  of  you,  I  know,  and  m.ore,  I  hope,  are 
intended  for  the  fervice  of  Chrid  in  the  miniftry.  To 
this  we  have  the  univerfal  fuffra^e,  that  true  religion  is  ab- 
folutely  rtecelTary,  with  which  I  heartily  agree.  But  I 
wiili  thofe  who  are  deftined  for  other  employments,  may 
not  fometimes  make,  a  comparifon  here,  unjuil  in  itfelf, 
and  dangerous-,  perhaps  even  ruinous,  to  their  own  fouls. 
Becaufe  true  religion  is  neceifary  to  a  m/mifter,  and  they 
are  confcious  to  themfclves,  or  at  lead  fufpedl,  that  they 
are  without  religion  ;  inilead  of  laying  to  heart  the  things 
that  belong  to  their  peace,  they  only  determine  that  they 
will  follow  fome  other  calling.  But  alas  !  though  the 
difference  to  the  public  is  very  great,  the  difference  to  the 
perfons  themfelves,  feems  to  me  but  very  fmall.  A  cler- 
gynian  without  religion,  to  be  fure  is  a  dreadful  chara6ler, 
and,  when  vifible,  a  deteflible  one  ;  but  truly,  one  w'ould 
think,  at  the  clofe  of  life,  it  will  be  but  little  comfort  to  a 
man,  that  he  mull  go  to  the  place  of  torment,  not  as  a  mi- 
niiler,  but  as  a  lawyer,  phyfician,  foldier,  or  merchant. 
Therefore  fuffer  me  to  fay  to  you,  and  to  all  who  now  hear 
me  that  the  care  of  your  fouls  is  the  one  thing  needful. 
All  mankind,  of  every  rank,  denomination  and  profefTion, 
are  ftnners  by  nature.  The  miniliers  of  the  New  Tefta- 
meat  have  received  a  commilTion  to  preach  the  gofpel  to 
every  creature  :  "  He  that  beiieveth  fliall  be  faved,  and 
"  he  that  beiieveth  not  fliall  be  damned." 

While  I  fay  this,  I  begof  you  toconfider  that  the  advan- 
taq:es  which  you  have  enjoyed,  will  be  an  aggravation  of 
)'Ouir  guilt,  if  tliey  are  unimproved.  There  is  an  equity 
as  well  as  wifdom  often  to  be  obferved  in  the  providence 
of  God.  Unlefs  reafons  of  fovereignty,  that  is,  reafons 
unknown  to  us,  prevent  it,  judgment  will  be  infiided, 
when  a  perfon  or  people  is  ripe  for  the  ilroke.  There- 
fore, as  fome  plants  and  feeds,  bodi  from  their  own  na- 
ture, and  from  the  Ibil  and  fituation  in  which  they  are 
placed,  ripen  fooner  than  others,  fo  fome  perfons,  l^y  the 
early  pains  taken  upon  them,  and  the  privileges  they  have- 
enjoyed,  fill  up  the  meafure  of  their  iniquities  fooner 
than  others,  and  are  more  fpeedily  overtaken  with  deferv- 


of  the  Seiiior  Class.  6i-^ 

cd  vengeance.  There  are  many  common  fayings  that 
are  the  efFe(i\s  of  error  and  prejudice ;  for  example,  that 
which  you  will  be  told  by  many,  that  the  children  of  good 
men  are  as  bad  as  any.  If  this  is  intended  to  infinuate 
that  a  regular  and  pious  education  affords  no  ground  to 
hope  for  good  behaviour  in  after  life,  it  is  at  once  contrary 
to  reafon  and  experience.  But  if  we  fnould  fay  that  when 
young  perfons  pioully  educated,  burll  reltraining  bonds 
afunder,  and  are  feduccd  into  vicious  courfes,  they  com- 
monly nm  fafter  and  farther  than  others,  it  is  a  certain 
fatt,  which  may  be  eafily  accounted  for,  and  aifords  an 
important  inftriiclion  to  all. 

After  intreating  ycu  to  lay  religion  to  heart,  I  mull  be- 
fecch  you  to  guard  againft  being  too  eafily  latisfied  in  a 
matter  of  ii;ifinite  moment.  Do  not  think  it  enough  to 
be  prudent,  cautious,  or  decent  in  your  conduft,  or  to 
attain  a  character  formed  upon  worldly  principles,  and 
governed  by  worldly  motives.  I  am  not  again  It  (as  you 
all  know)  introducing  every  argument  againll  fm,  and 
flicA'/ing  you  that  loofe  pra6lices  are  ruinous  to  name,  body 
and  eftate.  Neither  is  it  wrong  that  you  fliould  fortify 
every  pious  rcfolulion  by  the  addition  of  thefe  motives. 
But  alas  !  the  evil  lies  deeper.  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
"  again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  True 
religion  muft  arife  from  a  clear  and  deep  con  virion  of 
your  loll  ilate  by  nature  and  practice,  and  an  unfeigned 
reliance  on  die  pardoning  mercy  and  fandifying  grace  of 
God. 

Suffer  me,  upon  this  fubject,  carnefdy  to  recommend 
to  all  that  fear  God,  to  apply  themfelves  from  their  earlieft 
youth,  to  the  exercifes  of  piety,  a  life  of  prayer  and  com- 
munion with  God.  This  is  the  fource  fron-".  v/hich  a  real 
■Chriltian  mufl  dei'ive  the  fccret  comfort  of  his  heart,  and 
which  alone  v/lll  give  beauty,  confillency,  and  uniformit}-, 
to  an  exemplary  life,  'i'hc  reafon  wny  I  have  mentioned 
it  on  this  occafion  is,  that  youth,  wlien  the  i'pirits  are  live- 
ly, and  the  affections  vigorous  and  firong,  is  the  feafon 
when  this  habit  mull:  be  formed.  There  arc  advantages 
and  difadvantagcs  attending  every  llage  of  life.  An  aged 
Chriflian  \vill  naturally  grow  in  prucjcnce,  \i^ilancc,  ufc- 


6i6  An  Address  to  the  Students 

fulnefs,  attention  to  the  courfe  of  providence,  and  fubr 
jeclion  to  the  divine  will,  but  will  feldom  attain  to  great- 
er fervor  of  afFedlion,  and  life  in  divine  worlhip,  than  he 
had  been  aGCuftomed  to  from  his  early  years.  On  the 
contrary,  he  will  generally  iee  it  neceffary  inftead  of  truft- 
ing  to  occafional  impulfes,  to  guard  and  ftrengthen  the 
habit  by  order  and  form. 

Be  companions  of  them  that  fear  God.  Efteem  them 
always  moft  highly,  and  fhun,  as  a  contagious  peftilence, 
the  fociety  not  only  of  loofe  perfons,  but  of  thofe  efpe- 
cially  whom  you  perceive  to  be  infedled  with  the  princi- 
ples of  infidelity,  or  enemies  to  the  power  of  religion. — - 
Many  of  thefe  are  much  more  dangerous  to  pious  perfons 
than  open  profligates.  As  for  thefe  lad,  decency  is  againft 
them  ;  the  world  itfelf  condemns  them  ;  reafon  defpifes 
them,  and  prudence  fhuns  them.  He  mufl  have  a  very 
mean  tafle  indeed,  who  is  capable  of  finding  pleafure  in 
diforder  and  riot.  If  I  had  no  higher  pleafure  on  earth 
than  in  eating  and  drinking,  I  would  not  choofe  to  eat  and 
drink  with  the  drunken.  Order,  neatnefs,  elegance,  and 
even  moderation  itfelf,  are  neceilary  to  exalt  and  refine  the 
pleafures  of  a  fenfual  life.  Therefore  I  will  not  allow 
myfelf  to  fuppofe,  that  I  fhall  afterwards  hear  of  any  of  you 
roaring  and  fwearing  in  taverns,  or  wafting  your  bodies 
and  eltates  by  lewdnefs  and  debauchery,  or  that  you  take 
pleafure  in  thofe  who  do  fo.  But  be  efpecially  careful  to 
avoid  thofe  who  are  enemies  to  vital  piety,  who  do  not 
pretend  to  fpeak  direftly  againft  religion,  but  give  every 
vile  name  they  can  think  of,  to  all  who  feem  to  be  in  ear- 
ned on  that  iubjed,  and  vilify  the  exercifes  of  religion, 
imder  the  names  of  whining,  cant,  grimace,  and  hypocri- 
iy.  Thefe  are  often  unhappily  fuccefsful  in  making  fome 
uncautious  perfons  aftiamed  of  their  Redeemer's  name, 
his  truths,  his  laws,  his  people,  and  his  crofs. 

I  need  hardly  obferve,  that  this  is  not  to  be  underftood 
as  recommending  pharifaical  pride  and  fupercilioufnefs  ; 
far  lefs,  a  rafli  and  prefumptuous  judging  of  the  ftate  of 
others.  It  is  not  only  lawful,  but  our  duty,  to  have  a  free 
communication  Vi^ith  our  fellow- citizens,  for  the  purpofes 
of  fcM:ial  life  :  it  is  not  only  lawful,  but  our  duty  to  be 


of  the  Senior  Class.  617 

courteous,  and  to  ^ive  every  proper  evidence  of  refpetS 
and  attention  to  others,  according  to  their  rank  and  place 
in  fociety.  What  I  mean  to  caution  you  againfl  is,  an 
unnecefl'ary,  voluntary  intercourfe,  fuch  as  has  inclination 
for  its  motive,  and  pleafure  for  its  objefl.  With  refpect 
to  this,  we  need  not  hefitate  to  fay,  with  the  infpired  pro- 
phet, "  He  that  walketh  with  wife  men  fliall  be  wife,  but 
"  a  companion  of  fools  Ihall  be  deftroyed." 

II.  I  come  now  to  fpcak  a  little  upon  the  profecution  of 
yourftudies,  and  the  improvement  of  your  talents.  Your 
education  in  a  feniinary  of  learning,  is  only  intended  to 
give  you  the  elements  and  firll  principles  of  fcience,  which 
fhould  whet  your  appetite  for  more,  and  which  will  enable 
you  to  proceed  with  an  alfured  hope  of  fuccefs.  It  iiaih 
been  generally  a  favorite  point  with  me,  to  recommend 
.the  union  of  piety  and  literature,  and  to  guard  young  per- 
fons  againll  the  oppofite  extremes.  AVe  fee  fometimes 
the  pride  of  unfandlified  knowledge,  do  great  injury  to  re- 
ligion ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  we  find  fome  perfons  of 
real  piety,  defpifmg  human  learning,  and  difgracing  the 
moll  glorious  truths,  by  a  meannefs  and  indecency  hard- 
ly fufferable  in  their  manner  of  handling  them.  On  this 
account,  indullry  and  application  to  Itudy,  is  of  the  utmolt 
importance  to  tliofe  who  are  intended  for  the  office  of  the 
minifi:ry. 

But  I  have  it  further  in  view,  to  recommend  to  you  all, 
without  exception,  a  life  of  diligence  and  application. 
Avoid  floth,  as  a  dangerous  enemy.  Fear  it,  hate  it,  and 
defpife  it.  It  is  a  common  faying,  that  men  do  not  know 
their  own  weaknefs ;  but  it  is  as  true,  and  a  truth  more 
important,  that  they  do  not  know  their  own  ftrength.  I 
defire  that  you  will  receive  the  following  information  from 
me,  which  I  dare  lay,  every  perfon  of  judgment  and  ex- 
perience will  confirm,  that  multitudes  of  moderate  capa- 
city have  been  ufeful  in  their  generation,  rcfpc(^ed  by  the 
public,  and  fuccefsful  in  life,  while  thofe  of  fuperior  ta- 
lents from  nature,  by  mere  flothfulnefs  and  idle  habits,  or 
felf-indulgence,  have  lived  ufelel's,  and  died  contemptible. 
There  is  alfo  a  difpolition  in  young  people,  which  you 


•6 1 8  An  Address  to  the  Students 

know  I  have  often  fet  myfelf  to  oppofe,  to  think  that  loofe, 
irregular  fallies,  and  fometimes  even  vicious  liberties,  are 
a  fign  of  fpirit  and  capacity.  The  very  contrary  is  the 
truth.  It  requires  no  genius  at  all  to  do  mifchief.  Perfons 
of  the  greateft  ability  have  generally  been  lovers  of  order. 
Neither  is  there  any  inftance  to  be  found,  of  a  man's  ar- 
riving at  great  reputation  or  ufefulnefs,  be  his  capacity 
what  it  might,  without  induftry  and  application. 

Suffer  me  here,  in  a  particular  manner,  to  recommend 
to  you  a  firmnefs  of  mind,  and  Heady  perfeverance,  as  of 
the  utmoft  moment  to  your  progrefs  and  fuccefs.  What- 
ever a  man's  talents  from  nature  may  be,  if  he  apply  him- 
felf  to  what  is  not  altogether  unfuitable  to  them,  and  holds  on 
with  fteadinefs  and  uniformity,  he  will  be  ufeful  and  happy ; 
but  if  he  be  loofe  and  volatile,  impatient  of  the  Hownefs  of 
things  in  their  ufual  courfe,  and  Ihifting  from  projeft  to 
projccl:,  he  will  probably  be  neither  the  one  nor  the  other. 

I  am  fomewhat  at  a  lofs  w^hat  to  fay,  as  to  charader 
and  reputation  ;  yet  it  is  fo  important  a  point,  that  it  muft 
not  be  omitted.  True  religion  fhould  furnifli  you  with  a 
higher  and  nobler  principle  to  govern  your  conduft,  than 
the  deftre  of  applaufe  froai  men.  Yet,  in  fubordination 
to  Vvdiat  ought  to  be  the  great  purpofe  of  life,  the  approba- 
tion of  the  fupreme  Judge,  there  is  a  juft  and  laudable  am- 
bition to  do  Vvhat  is  praife-worthy  among  men.  This  ought 
not  to  be  extinguiihe4  in  the  minds  of  youth  ;  being  a 
powerful  fpur  and  incitement  to  virtuous  or  illuftrious  ac- 
tions. A  truly  good  man  will  feek  no  praife  but  by  ho- 
neft  means,  an.d  will  be  fuperior  even  to  difgrace  itfeif,  if 
brought  upon  him  by  adherence  to  his  duty.  Yet  he  will 
alfo  be  tender  and  careful,  not  to  give  juft  caufe  to  any  to 
impeach  his  conduct.  If  I  might  be  permitted  to  direct 
y-our  views  upon  this  fubjed,  I  would  hy^  confider  tJiat 
your  character  is  already  beginning  to  form.  Every  ftep 
you  take  further  in  life,  will  both  afcertain  and  fpread  it. 
You  ought  alfo  to  be  informed,  that  notwithiianding  all 
the  hackneyed  complaints  of  the  partiality  and  cenforiouf- 
nefs  of  the  world,  a  man's  real  chara6ler,  in  point  of  abili- 
ty, is  nei}er  miilaken,  and  but  seldom  in  point  of  morals. 
That  there  are  many  malicious  and  cenforious  perfons,  J 


of  the  Senior  Class.  6i() 

agree ;  but  lies  are  not  half  fo  durable  as  truth.  There  is 
an  impartiality  in  a  diftudve  public,  which  will  flicw  itfelf 
where  means  of  information  arc  afTordcd  to  it.  "^d'heretore 
reverence  the  judgnient  of  mankind  without  idolizing  it. 
Be  as  cautious  as  pollible  to  do  nothino-  that  dcfcrves  cen- 
fure,  and  as  little  concerned  as  pollible  what  reproaches 
may  fall  upon  you  undeferved.  It  is  not  a  contradi6lion, 
but  perfcAly  confillent  to  Hiy,  a  man  Hiould  be  tender 
and  even  jealous  of  his  charaftcr,  and  )'ct  not  greedy  of 
praife.  ''rhere  is  an  amiablcnefs  and  dignity  in  the  firft, 
but  a  meannefs  and  littlenels  in  the  lafl:. 

Another  advice,  near  a-kin  to  the  lall,  is,  do  as  much 
as  you  canto  delerve  praife,  and  yet  avoid  as  much  as 
polfible  the  hearing  of  it.  This  is  but  another  view  ot  die 
lame  fubjedl ;  and  that  it  may  be  the  more  ufeful,  and  my 
intention  in  it  the  more  manifeft,  I  will  extend  it  both  to 
praife  and  difpraife.  When  you  come  into  public  life, 
and  become  the  objedls  of  general  attention,  not  only  guard 
againft  fifliing  for  applaufe,  and  being  inquifitive  after 
what  people  think  or  fay  of  you,  but  avoid  knowing  it  as 
much  as  you  decently  can.  My  reafon  for  this  is,  that 
whether  you  will  or  not,  you  will  hear  as  much  of  the  flan- 
ders  of  your  enemies  as  you  will  bear  with  patience,  and 
as  much  of  the  flattery  of  your  friends,  or  interefted  per- 
fons,  as  you  will  bear  with  humility.  Therefore,  prepare 
yourfelf  for  both,  but  feek  for  neither.  Several  eminent 
authors,  as  you  doubtlcfs  know,  have  given  It  as  an  ad- 
vice to  young  clergymen,  and  other  public  fpeakers,  to 
get  a  friend  who  is  a  good  judge,  and  intreat  him  to  make 
remarks  upon  their  compofition,  carriage,  deliveiy,  &c. 
with  fidelity.  I  have  nothing  to  fay  againft:  the  goodnefs 
of  the  advice  in  itfelf,  but  at  the  fame  time,  1  have  no 
great  convi(!tion  of  the  necefiity  or  even  the  utility  of  it. 
It  is  very  feldom  that  advice  is  afked  in  llii«  manner,  but 
with  a  view  to  obtain  a  compliment  ;  and  Hill  feldomer 
that  it  is  given  with  llifficient  freedom  and  impartiality.  If 
any  man  has  humility  and  felf-denial  enough  to  wiih  to' 
know  his  own  faults,  there  vviil  be  little  dilficulty  in  dif- 
rorering  them.  Or  if  we  could  fuppofe,  there  were  dif- 
ficdty  to  himfcif,  his  ener.iies  or  rivals,  or  talkative   pe- - 


620  An  Address  to  the  Students 

pie,  though  they  be  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  will 
fupply  the  defe6l.  Perhaps  you  will  think,  that  in  the 
ftri6lures  of  malice  and  envy,  there  is  generally  an  acri- 
mony that  has  no  great  tendency  to  reform  ;  like  a  rufly 
knife,  which  makes  a  very  painful  wound,  though  not  ve- 
ry deep.  I  agree  to  this  fully,  and  yet  affirm,  that  there 
is  fo  much  the  more  virtue,  fo  much  the  more  Avifdom, 
and  perhaps  I  may  add,  fo  much  the  more  pleafure  in 
making  this  ufe  of  them. 

I  conclude  this  part  of  my  fubjeQ:,  with  advifmg  you  to 
maintain  a  friendfhip  with  one  another,  and  to  carry  the 
intimacies  of  early  life,  through  the  whole  of  it.  To  this 
I  add,  that  you  ought  to  defire  and  cultivate  the  corref- 
pondence  of  men  of  piety  and  learning.  Man  made  for 
fociety,  derives  his  chief  advantages  of  every  kind,  from 
the  united  efforts  of  many  confpiring  to  the  fame  end. — • 
As  to  piety,  nothing  is  more  ell'ential  to  it,  than  focial 
communication.  It  properly  confifls  in  the  fupreme  love 
of  God,  and  fervent  charity  to  all  men.  The  Chriftian 
alfo  hath  need  of  the  affiftance  of  others  in  his  paffage 
through  this  world,  where  he  has  fo  much  oppofition  to 
encounter.  Thofe  who  deferve  this  character,  are  faid  to 
be  pilgrims  and  ilrangers  in  the  earth.  Therefore  they 
ought  to  keep  together,  left  they  lofe  their  way.  They 
comfort  each  other  in  diilrefs,  they  aflift  each  other  in 
doubts  and  difficulty,  they  embolden  each  other  by  their 
example,  and  they  affift  each  other  by  their  prayers. 

This  is  no  lefs  the  cafe  in  refpedl  to  literature.  It  has 
been  obferved,  that  great  and  eminent  men  have  .gene- 
rally, in  every  nation,  appeared  in  clufters.  The  reafon 
of  this  probably  is,  that  their  fociety  and  mutual  inter- 
courfe  greatly  adds  to  their  improvement,  and  gives  force 
and  vigor  to  the  talents  which  they  may  leverally  poffefs. 
Nothing  is  fo  powerful  an  incitement  to  diligence,  or  fo 
kindles  the  belt  fort  of  ambition,  as  the  frieudfliip,  advice, 
and  affiftance  of  men  of  learning  and  worth.  The  appro- 
bation of  one  fuch,  is  of  more  value  to  a  noble  mind,  than 
peals  of  applaufe  from  an  undifcerning  multitude.  Ee- 
fides,  the  affiftance  which  men  of  lettej-s  give  to  each  other, 
is  really  neceffary  in  the  execution  of  particular  v^'orks  of 


of  the  Senior  Class.  ^t 

great  tompafs  and  utility.  If  it  is  by  the  labors  of  preced- 
ing ages,  that  it  is  now  poflible  in  one  life  to  attain  to 
fuch  a  degree  of  knowledge  as  we  have  fometimcs  feen, 
fo  it  is  by  the  concurrence  of  many  friends  lending  their 
aflidance,  that  one  man  has  been  fometimes  able  to  pre- 
fcnt  to  the  public,  a  fyflem  of  fcience,  which,  without 
that  aid,  he  alone  would  have  in  vain  attempted  to  bruig 
to  perfedtion.  There  is  no  circumflance  which  throws 
this  new  country  fo  far  back  in  point  of  fcience,  as  the 
want  of  public  libraries,  where  thorough  refearches  might 
be  made,  and  the  fmall  number  of  learned  men  to  affift  in 
making  refearches  pradicable,  eafy  or  complete. 

III.  The  laft  head  on  which  I  promifed  to  give  you  my 
advice,  was  prudence    in  your  communication  with  the 
world  in  general,  your  outward  provifion  and  other  cir- 
cumftances  that  conduce  to  the  happinefs  and  comfort  of 
life.     On  this  fubjea,  I  begin  with  what  I  have  often  re- 
commended to  you,  frugality  in  the  management  of  your 
affairs,  order  and  exaftnefs  in  your  drefs,  furniture,  books, 
and  keeping  of  accounts.     Nothing  could  be  farther  from 
my  mind  than  to  recommend  the  temper  or  condua  of 
avaricious  men,  whofe  fordid  fouls  have  no  higher  ambi- 
tion, and  indeed,  hardly  any  other  defire  than  that  ot  get- 
ting pelf.     This  is  not  only  unbecoming  a  gentleman  and 
afcholar,  but,  in  my  opinion,  wholly  inconfillent  with 
the  charadcr.     I  never  knew   an  iriRance  of  a   perfon  in 
whom  this  difpofition  took  place   in  early  liie,  that  could 
apply  to  (ludy,  or  that  became  eminent  in  any  thing  that 
was  good.  The  oppofite  vice  is  the  common  fault  of  youth, 
and  tt  is  againft  this  I  would  caution  you.     The  frugality 
I  would  recommend,  is   that  of  an    independent  mmd, 
that  fears  and  fcorns  fubjeftion  to  others,  and  remembers 
the  jull  laying  of  Solomon,  that  the  borrower  is  ser-vant  to 
the  lender.     That  frugality  which  arifes  from  order  and 
CEConomv,  is  not  only  conUftent  with,  but  it  is  the  parent 
of  liberality  of  fentiment  and  generofity  ot  condud.      It 
is  indeed  the  fource  of  beneficence,  for  no  man  can  beilovv 
cut  of  an  empty  purfe.     On  the  other  hand,  covetpulnel* 
Vol.  U,  ^  I 


611  An  Address  to  the  Students 

and  profufion,  arc  by  no  means  repugnant  to  each  other  ; 
and  indeed  they  are  more  frequently  joined  than  many 
apprehend.  The  flri6lure  of  Salluft  in  the  charader  of 
Cataline,  alienl  appetens  suiprofusus^  has  been  often  cited, 
and  may  generally  be  applied  to  loofe  and  profligate  livers. 
I  hope  therefore  you  will  learn  betimes  to  diflinguilli  be- 
tween the  virtue  and  the  vice,  and  to  adhere  to  the  one  as 
much  as  you  clefpife  the  other. 

I  will  make  an  obfervation  here,  which  may  be  applied 
not  only  to  the  diftind:ion  of  character  in  this  inllance,  but 
in  almoft  every  other  that  has  been,  or  fliall  be  mentioned. 
It  will  be  much  your  intereft,  if  you  learn  betimes  to 
make  not  a  hafly  but  a  deliberate  and  candid  jugdment, 
when  you  infer  character  from  appearances.  The  habits 
of  life  which  men  contraft,  give  a  bias  to  their  opinions 
and  even  a  tinfture  to  their  converfation  and  phrafeology. 
Perfons  inclined  to  levity  and  diffipation,  will  often  afcribc 
to  covetoufnefs,  what  arifes  from  very  different  caufes.  I 
have  known,  even  in  youth,  a  perfon  declining  to  en- 
gage in  a  party  of  pleafure,  accufed  by  his  companions  as 
mean  and  fneaking,  and  afraid  of  his  purfe,  when,  in  rea- 
lity, it  was  not  that  he  loved  money  more,  but  pleafure 
lefs.  It  may  fometimes  happen,  that  a  perfon  of  principle, 
will  fee  it  proper  to  decline  meetings  of  feflivity,  though 
not  directly  fmful,  as  an  unneceffary  wafte  of  time,  or 
from  fome  other  circumflance  to  him  dangerous  and  en- 
fnaring.  I  have  alfo  feen  perfons  more  advanced  in  years, 
who  from  a  habit,  perhaps  a  neceffary  habit  of  ftrid  tem- 
perance, and  retired  manner  of  life,  v/ere  very  fparing  of 
perfonal  expence,  and  even  not  much  difpofed  to  focial 
intercourfe,  and  therefore  called  clofe  or  covetous,  and 
yet  when  applied  to,  for  pious  or  charitable  purpofes, 
w^ould  be  m.uch  more  liberal  than  others  of  an  oppofite  turn 
of  mind.  Obfervations  perfectly  fimilar  might  be  maade 
upon  the  oppofite  character  of  liberality.  It  is  not  ever}'- 
kind  of  opennefs  of  heart  that  indicates  profufion.  .  We 
are  told  by  Solomon,  Prov.  xi.  25.  "  That  the  liberal 
"  foul  lliall  be  made  fat,"  and  by  the  prophet  Ifaiah,  Ifa. 
xxxii.  8.  "  That  the  liberal  defireth  liberal  thhigs,  and 
^'  by  liberal  things  he  lliall  be  eilablifhed."  -  From  thefe 


of  the  Senior  CLis.f.  62^ 

contraflcd  remarks,  I  infer,  that  as  it  is  feklom  ncccfTary* 
to  judge  peremptorily  of  others,  fo  forbearance  and  the 
mofl    charitable  allowance,  is  both  our  duty  and  intcrell. 

In  tlie  next  place,  I  recommend  to  you,  humility  of 
heart  and  meeknefs  of  carrian;e.  I  confider  in  tliis  plr.ce, 
the  grace  of  humility  as  a  virtue  efpecially  fcrviccablc  to 
your  earthly  comfort.  I  confider  and  mean  to  treat  it  as 
a  maxim  of  worldly  prudence.  The  fcripture  fcems  to 
point  it  out  as  peculiarly  necefTaiy  for  this  purpofe,  and 
to  annex  the  promife  of  earthly  happinefs  to  the  practice 
of  it:  Matth.  v.  5.  "  Blcfled  are  the  meek,"  fays  our  Sa- 
viour, "  for  they  Ihall  inherit  the  earth."  I  would  un- 
derftand  him  as  faying,  cx'ery  good  man  fliall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  but  thofe  who  excel  in  meeknefs,  Ihail 
of  all  others  have  comfort  on  earth.  In  many  diflerent 
views,  we  may  fee  the  propriety  of  this  connection.  No- 
thing is  more  offenfivc  to  others,  than  a  proud,  alTuming 
manner.  It  not  only  magnifies  every  fzuilt,  but  vitiates 
even  good  conduft.  It  is  not  only  odious  to  virtuous  per- 
fons,  but  it  is  equally,  if  not  more  fo,  to  thofe  who  are 
without  principle.  Some  vices  recommend  a  man  to  tlie 
vicious  in  the  fame  line,  as  one  drunkard  is  pleafed  with 
the  fight  of  another ;  but  nothing  is  fo  hateful  to  a  proud 
man,  as  another  ol'  the  fame  character,  nor  is  offence 
fooner  given  or  taken  than  between  thofe,  who,  in  this  re- 
fpeft,  perfedlly  refemble  one  another.  This  vice  is  not 
only  odious  to  perfons  of  underfi:anding  and  refle(!lion,  but 
to  the  mofl:  ignorant,  being  as  eafily  perceived  as  it  is  uni- 
verfally  hated. 

The  moral  virtue  of  meeknefs  and  condefcenfion,  is 
the  bell  ground  work  even  of  worldly  politenefs,  and 
prepares  a  man  to  receive  that  polifli,  which  makes  his 
behavior  generally  aj.^eeable,  and  fits  him  for  intcrcoufe 
with  perfons  in  the  higher  ranks  of  life.  The  fame  vir- 
tue, by  the  compofure  and  fclf-command  that  accompa- 
nies it,  enables  a  man  to  manage  his  affairs  to  advantage, 
in  whatever  calling  he  may  be  engaged,  or  in  \\  haicvcr 
llation  he  may  be  placed.  A  good  Ihopkecper  is  coru- 
monly  remarkable  forr  this  quality.  People  Io\'c  to  go 
wb.crc  they  mcei;  with  good  v/ords  and  ^^ntle  treatment ; 


/ 
624  An  Address  to  the  Students 

whereas  the  peevlfli  and  petulant  may  be  faid  to  have  a 
repelling  qualit)'  about  them,  that  will  not  fufFer  any  body 
to  approach  them. 

To  complete  the  whole,  meeknefs  of  fpirit  is  as  ufeful 
to  a  man's  felf,  as  meeknefs  of  carriage  is  acceptable  to 
others.  The  meek  fuffer  much  lefs  ftpm  the  unavoidable 
evils  of  life,  than  thofe  of  a  contrary  difpofition.  Many 
crofs  accidents  of  the  lefs  important  kind,are  in  a  manner 
annihilated  when  they  are  borne  with  calmnefs. ,  The 
injury  they  do  us,  is  not  owing  half  fo  much  to,  their 
weight  or  feverity,  as  to  the  irritability  of  their  own 
minds.  It  is  evident  tha,t  the  fame  difpofition  muft  great- 
ly alleviate  calamities  of  a  heavier  kind ;  and  from  analo- 
gy you  may  perceive,  that  as  it  mitigates  the  forrows,  it 
multiplies  and  adds  to  the  fweetncfs  of  the,  comforts  of 
life.  A  moderate  portion,  gives  greater  fatisfa6lion  to 
the  humble  and  thankful,  than  the  mofl  ample  pofleffiops 
to  the  proud  and  impatient. 

Nearly  allied  to  the  above  virtue,  is  the  government, 
of  your  paffions,  and  therefore  of  this  I  Ihall  fay  but  little. 
Every  one  muft  be  fenfible  how  important  is,  both  for 
the  fuccefs  of  your  worldly  callings,  and  your  ufefulnefs 
in  public  life,  to  have  your  paffions  in  due  fubjedlion.. 
Men  of  furious  ard  ungoverned  tempers,  prone  to  excefs 
in  attachment  and  refentmcnt,  either  as  to  perfons  or 
things,  are  feldom  fucccfsful  in  their  purfuits,  or  refpedled 
and  ufeful  in  their  ftations.  Perfons  of  ungoverned  paf- 
fions, are  almoft  always  fickle  and  changeable  in  their 
meafures,  which  is  of  all  things  the  moft  fatal  to  important 
undertaking's.  Thefe  generally,  require  time  and  pai*ence 
to  bring  them  to  perfection.  As  to  public  and  political 
life  in  particular,  the  neceffity  of  felf  government  is  fo 
great,  and  fo  univerfally  acknowledged,  that  it  is  ufual  to 
impute  it  in  eminent  men,  not  to  principle,  but  to  ad- 
drefs  and  policy.  It  is  commonly  laid,  that  politicians 
have  no  paffions.  Without  inquiring  into  this,  I  Ihall 
only  fay,  that  whatever  truth  may  be  in  it,  is  ftill  in  favor 
of  my  argument.  The  hypocrify  does  honor  to  the 
virtue.  If  the  appearance  be  fo  neceffary  -or  fo  ufeful, 
what  muft  be  the  value  of  the  reality  ? 


ef  the  Senior  Class*  625 

I  will  here  take  an  opportunity  of  confuting,  or  at  lead 
correfting  a  common  faying,  or  proverbial  fentiment, 
many  of  which  indeed  that  obtain  belief  in  a  blinded 
world,  are  nothing  but  fiiUe, colouring  and  deception.  It 
is  ufual  to  fay,  in  defence  of  fudden  and  violent  pafTion, . 
that  it  is  better  to  fpeak  freely  and  openly,  than  to  harbor 
and  cover  fecret  heart  malice.  Perhaps  I  might  ad- 
mit that  this  would  be  true,  if  the  inward  rage  were  to  be 
as  violent,  and  continue  as  long,  and  return  as  often,  as 
indulged  pafTion.  Every  perfon  mufl  agree,  that  where- 
ver there  is  a  deep  and  laliing  hatred,  that  never  forgets 
nor  forgives,  but  waits  for  the  opportunity  of  vengeance, 
it  deferves  to  be  confidered  as  a  temper  truly  infernal. 
But  in  moft  inflances  of  offence,  between  man  and  man, 
to  reftrain  the  tongue  is  the  way  to  govern  the  heart.  If 
you  do  not  make  mention  of  an  injury,  you  will  truly  and 
fpeedily  forgive  it,  and  perhaps  literally  forget  it.  Rage 
is  in  this  relpeft  like  a  fire,  if  a  vent  is  given  to  it,  it  will 
increafe  and  fpread,  while  there  is  fuel  to  confume,  but 
if  you  can  confine  and  Hide  it,  you  will  completely  ex- 
tinguilli  it. 

To  the  government  of  the  paflions  fucceeds  the  govern- 
ment of  the  tongue.  This  indeed  will  in  a  great  meafure, 
be  the  effect  of  the  former,  and  therefore  is  recommended 
by  all  the  fame  arguments,:  yet  it  deferves  very  particu- 
lar attention, Separately  as  a  maxim  of  prudence.  There 
are  great  indifcretions  in  fpeech,  that  do  not  arife  from 
pallion,  but  from  inattention  and  want  of  judgment  as  to 
the  propriety  of  time  and  place,  and  indeed  many  other 
fources.  I  would  therefore  earnellly  recommend  to  you» 
to  habituate  yourfelves  to  rellraint  in  this  refpcdl,  efpeci-j 
ally  in  the  early  part  of  life.  "  Be  fwift  to  hear,"  fayjj 
Solomon,  "  and  flow  to  fpeak."  Forwardnefs  in  fpeech 
is  always  thought  an  aduming  thing  in  youth,  and  in  pro- 
mifcuous  companies,  is  often  confidered  as  an  infult,  as 
well  as  an  indifcretion.  It  is  very  common  for  the  v.orkl 
in  general,  and  Hill  more  fo  lor  men  of  judgment  and 
penetration,  to  form  an  opinion  of  a  character  on  the 
whole,  from  fome  one  ciicumriance,  and  I  think  there 
are  i'cw  things  more  unfavorable  in  this  way  than  a  talka- 


626  An  Address  to  the  Students 

tive  difpofition.  If  the  firft  time  I  am  in  company,  efpc-* 
cially  with  a  young  man,  he  talks  inceffantly  and  takes 
the  whole  converfation  to  himfelf,  I  fnall  hardly  be  brought 
to  have  a  good  opinion  of  him,  vv^hether  what  he  fays  be 
good  or  evil,  fenfe  or  nonfenfe.  There  are  fome  perfons, 
who,  one  might  fay,  give  away  fo  much  Mdfdom  in  their 
fpeech,  that  they  leave  none  behind  to  govern  their  ac- 
tions. 

But  the  chief  danger  of  an  ungoverned  tongue,  is,  that 
it  kindles  the  fire  of  contention  among  others,  and  makes 
enemies  to  a  man's  felf.  Solomon  fays,  "  Where  no  tale- 
*'  bearer  is,  the  ftrife  ceafeth."  A  little  experience  will 
fliew  you,  how  unfafe  it  is  to  ufe  much  freedom  in  fpeech 
widi  abfent  perfons.  In  that  cafe  you  put  yourlelf  whol- 
ly in  the  power  of  thofe  that  hear  you,  and  are  in  danger, 
not  only  from  their  treachery  or  malice,  but  from  their 
miftakes,  ignorance  and  imprudence.  Perhaps  it  would 
be  too  rigid  to  fay,  that  you  ought  never  to  fpeak  to  a 
nian's  prejudice  in  his  abfence,  what  you  would  be  un- 
willing to  fay  in  his  prefence.  Some  exceptions  to  this 
rule,  might  eafdy  be  conceived.  But  both  prudence  and 
candor  require  that  you  fhould  be  very  referved  in  this 
refpecl,  and  either  adhere  Itriftly  to  the  rule,  or  be  fure 
that  good  reafons  will  juIHfy  a  departure  from  it. 

This  will  be  a  very  proper  place  to  give  you  fome  di- 
rections, as  the  moft  proper  condu(?t,  when  you  fuffer 
from  the  tongues  of  others.  Many  and  grievous  are  the 
complaints  of  what  men  fuffer  from  the  envenomed  Ihafts 
of  envy  and  malice.  And  there  certainly  is  a  llrong  dif- 
pofition in  fome  to  invent,  and  in  many  to  believe  flan- 
<5$rous  falfehoods.  The  prevalence  of  party,  in  religion 
oli4:oliticSj  never  fails  to  produce  a  plentiful  crop  of  this 
polfonous  weed.  One  of  the  mod  important  rules  upon 
this  fubjedt  is,  that  when  an  accufadon  is  in  any  degree 
well-founded,  or  fufpicious  appee^rances  have  given  any 
occafion  for  it,  the  firfi:  duty  is  to  reform  what  is  really 
wrong,  and  keep  at  a  diilance  from  the  difputed  limit. 

This  will  bring  good  out  of  evil,  and  turn  an  injury 
into. a  benefit.  But  in  cafes,  as  ic  may  often  happen, 
when  the  flander  is  perfectly  groimdlels,  I  Iiold  it  to  be 


ef  the  Senior  Class.  627 

in  general  the  bed  way  wholly  to  clefpife  it.  Time  and 
the  power  of  truth,  will  of  thenifch  es  do  juftice  in  almoft 
every  cafe  of  this  kind;  but  if  you  fhew  an  impatience  under 
it,  a  difpofition  to  refent  it,  or  a  folicitude  to  refute  it,  the 
far  greateft  part  of  mankind  will  believe  it  not  the  lefs, 
but  the  more.  If  llander  were  a  plant  or  an  animal,  1 
would  fay  it  was  of  a  very  flrange  nature,  for  that  ii  would 
very  eafily  die,  but  could  not  eafily  be  killed.  It  difco- 
vers  a  greatnefs  of  mind,  and  a  confcious  dignity,  to  de- 
fpife  flanders,  which  of  itfelf  commands  refpeft  ;  whereas 
to  be  either  offended  or  dillreffed  by  them,  Ihews  a  wcak- 
nefs  not  amiable,  whether  the  accufation  be  true  or  falfc. 

This  rule  !  do  not  fay  is  wholly  without  exception. 
There  may  be  cafes  where  vindications  may  be  neceflary 
and  efteftual,  but  they  are  not  many.  And  I  think  I  have 
feen  in  the  courfe  of  my  life,  reafon  to  make  the  following 
diftinftion.  If  the  accufation  or  flander  be  fpecial,  and  re- 
late to  a  particular  fa6t,  fixed  by  time,  place  and  othef 
circumilances,  and  if  it  be  either  wholly  falfe,  or  elfential- 
ly  millaken  in  its  nature  and  tendency,  the  matter  may 
be  explained,  and  juftice  may  be  done.  But  if  it  be  a  ge- 
neral character,  that  happens  to  be  imputed  to  a  man,  he 
ought  to  attempt  no  refutation  of  it,  but  by  conduct :  die 
more  he  complains  of  it,  the  more  he  fpeaks  of  it,  the  more 
he  denies  it,  itv»?illbe  the  more  believed.  For  example, 
if  it  be  affirmed  that  a  man  fpoke  profanely  in  a  certain 
company,  at  a  certain  place  and  time,  when  he  was  not 
prefent  at  all,  it  may  be  eafily  and  completely  refuted  ; 
but  if  he  is  accufed  of  being  proud,  contentious,  covetous, 
or  deceitful,  although  thefe  acculations  are  pretended  to  be 
fupported  by  a  train  iucls,  it  is  better  to  let  them  wholly 
alone,  and  fuffer  his  condutSl  to  fpeak  for  itfelf.  Thcrj 
are  inflances  in  hiftory,  of  accufations  brought  with  much 
jilaufibility,  and  urged  with  great  vehemence,  which  ytt 
iiave  been  either  from  the  beginning  dilbelieved,  or  by 
time  confuted  ;  which  occafioned  the  Latin  proverb,  A/Wy- 
na  est  'Veritas  et  prai^alcbit. 

All  the  above-mentioned  particulars  may  be  fnid  to  i^,c 
the  happy  eflecls  of  wifdom  and  benevolence  united  ;  or 
father,  perhaps,  in  th^  light  in  which  they  have  been  fta- 


628  An  Address  0  the  Students 

ted  to  you,  they  ar«  chiefly  the  proper  fruits  of  that  wif- 
dom  which  is  "  profitable  to  diredl:."  But  I  mull:  add 
another  advice,  which  is  the  immediate  effeft  of  benevo- 
lence and  good-will ;  that  is,  be  ready  to  affift  others,  and 
do  good  as  you  have  opportunity.  As  every  thing  is  lia- 
ble to  be  abufed,  fometimes  the  maxims  of  prudence  take 
a  wrong  direction,  and  clofe  the  heart  againft  impreffions 
of  fy mpathy  and  tendernefs  towards  others  in  diftrefs. 
Sometimes  indeed,  the  coolnefs  and  compofure  of  fpirit, 
and  that  felf-command,  which  is  the  elTefl  of  refledion 
and  experience,  is  miftaken  for  a  callous  and  unfeeling 
heart,  though  it  is^  a  very  different  thing.  To  give  way 
to  the  agitation  of  paflion,  eVen  under  the  fined  feelings, 
is  the  way  to  prevent,  inftead  of  promoting  ufefulnefs.  A 
parent,  overwhelmed  v/ith  furprife  and  anxiety,  at  a  ca- 
lamitous accideht  that  has  befellen  a  child,  fliall  be  inca- 
pable either  of  refled:ion  or  activity,  and  fhall  fometimes 
even  need  the  affiftance  which  he  ought  to  give.  But  in. 
dependently  of  this,  there  are  certainly  fome  perfons  who 
contrail;  a  habit  of  indifference  as  to  the  wants  or  defires 
of  others,  and  are  not  willing  to  put  themfelves  to  any 
inconvenience,  unlefs  their  own  particular  concerns  may 
be  promoted  at  the  fame  time. 

In  oppofition  to  this,  I  mean  to  recommend  to  you  a 
difpofition  to  oblige,  not  merely  by  civil  cxpreffions,  and 
an  affable  deportmentt,  but  by  taking  a  real  interell  in  the 
affairs  of  others.  Be  not  unwilling  to  lend  your  advice, 
your  affiftance,  your  interefl,  to  thole  that  need  them. 
Thofe  who  cannot  fpare  pecuniary  affiftance,  may  do  ma- 
ny atls  of  valuable  friendfhip.  Let  every  neighbor  per- 
ceive that  you  are  not  ready  to  quarrel  needlefsly,  nor  in- 
fill pertinacioully  on  trifles  ;  and  if  you  live  to  obtain  cre- 
dit and  influence,  let  them  be  employed  to  affift  the  de- 
ferving  of  every  clafs.  If  you  undertake  to  do  the  bufinefs 
of  others,  attend  to  it  with  the  fame  fidelity,  and  if  pj3ffi- 
ble,  with  greater  pundluality  than  you  would  to  your  own. 
Some  are  ready  to  excufe  or  juftify  a  contrary  conduct,  by 
complaining  of  the  ingratitude  or  injuftice  of  mankind. 
But,  in  my  opinion,  thefe  complaints  are. contrary  to 
truth  and  experience.     There  may  be  manj  particular 


of  the  Senior  Class.  629 

perfons  both  ungrateful  and  unjnft  ;  but  in  the  world  in 
general,  there  will  be  found  a  clearnefs  of  difcernment, 
and  an  exactnefs  of  retribution.  Our  Saviour  tells  us, 
witli  refpe<5l  to  one  fault,  that  of  raih  judging,  what  is 
equally  true  as  to  injuries  of  every  kind,  "  with  what  mea- 
"  lure  ye  mete,  it  ihall  be  meafured  to  you  again  ;  good 
'^  meafure,  prefled  down,  and  fliaken  together,  and  run- 
"  ning  over,  lliall  men  give  into  your  boforn."  Luke  vi.  38. 

This,  in  my  opinion,  may  and  ought  to  be  underftood 
both  ways.  As  the  churliili  Nabal  generally  meets  with  his 
match,  fo  perfons  of  a  liumane  and  friendly  difpofition 
fliall  reap  the  fruits  of  it  to  them  or  their's.  Tlie  truth 
is,  the  difpofition  itfelf  is  not  in  its  perfeflion,  but  when 
there  is  no  regard  to  an  immediate  return.  If  you  give, 
looking  for  a  fpeetly  recompenfe,  it  is  not  giving,  but 
felling.  You  may,  however,  fafely  truft  to  the  promife  of 
God :  "  Call  thy  bread  upon  the  waters,  for  thou  ihalt 
*'  find  it  after  many  days."     Eccl.  xi.  i. 

I  have  known  many  inftances  of  kindnefles  that  were 
both  remembered  and  requited,  after  thev  had  been  long 
forgotten  by  him  who  beliowed  them.  Nay,  fometimes 
they  may  be  repaid  in  another  generation.  It  is  no  in- 
confiderable  legacy  for  a  man  to  leave  to  his  children,  that 
he  had  always  been  a  friend  to  others,  and  never  refufed 
his  affiftance  to  thofe  who  flood  in  need  of  it. 

It  will  not  be  an  improper  place  here  to  introduce  a 
{t\j  words  upon  a  fubjeft  which  has  been  often  handled  by 
writers  of  the  firfl:  clafs  :  I  mean  private  friendfhip.  Some 
writers  againfl  religion  have  aftually  made  it  an  objedlion 
againfl:  Chrillianity,  that  it  does  not  recommend  private 
friendfhip,  or  the  love  of  our  country.  If  this  were  true, 
it  would  be  no  fault ;  becaufe  the  univerfal  benevolence 
rtcom mended  by  the  gofpel,  includes  all  private  afiec- 
lions,  when  they  are  confiftent  whh  it,  and  is  far  fu- 
perior  to  them  when  they  are  contrary  to  it.  But  in 
facl,  the  inllances  of  private  friendfliip  mentioned  and  al- 
luded to  in  fcripture,  are  a  fufficient  recommendation  of 
it  ;  and  even  our  blefled  Saviour  himfelf  is  faid  to  have 
dillinguHhed  the  youngefl  of  his  difciplcs  with  particular 

Vol.  II.  4  K 


42,0  An  Address  to  the  Student's 

affe£lion.  I  will  therefore  obferve,  M-ith  mod  authors, 
that  there  is  no  true  friendfliip,  but  what  is  founded  upon 
virtuous  principles,  and  directed  to  virtuous  purpofes. 
To  love  a  perfon  who  is  not  worthy  of  love,  is  not  a  vir- 
tue, but  an  error.  Neither  is  there  any  dependance  to  be 
placed,  in  trying  cafes,  upon  perfons  unprincipled  at  bot- 
tom. There  never  was  a  true  friend,  who  was  not  an 
honeft  man.  But  befides  this  important  truth,  it  is  fur- 
ther to  be  ohferved,  that  there  is  a  fpecies  of  friendfliip 
which  is  neither  founded  on  virtue  nor  vice,  but  mere 
weaknefs  of  mind.  Some  perfons,  having  no  refources  in 
themfelves,  are  obliged  to  have  recourfe  to  fome  other, 
upon  whom  they  may  lean,  and  without  whom  they  feem 
as  if  they  could  neither  think,  acl,  nor  even  exifl:.  This 
fort  of  friendfliip  is  to  be  feen  particularly  in  princes  and 
perfons  of  high  rank,  and  is  generally  called  favoritifm  ; 
but  the  fame  thing  may  be  obfcrx^ed  in  all  ranks,  though, 
in  the  lower,  it  is  not  fo  confpicuous.  We  may  fay  of  it, 
that  it  is  like  fome  of  thofe  ])lants  that  are  falfe  and  fpuri- 
ous  in  their  kind,  which  have  fome  of  the  appearances, 
but  want  the  moll  valuable  and  effential  qualities  of  thofe 
that  are  genuine.  Such  friendlliips  are  commonly  con- 
trafted  by  caprice  or  accident,  and  uncertain  in  their 
duration,  being  liable  to  be  diffolved  by  the  fame  means. 
Valuable  friendfliip  is  the  refult  of  judgment  as  well  as 
affeclion  ;  it  is  one  of  the  greatefh  comforts  of  life,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  greateil  ornaments  to  human  nature  ;  and 
its  genuinenefs  may  be  difcerned  by  the  following  mark — 
that  though  it  is  particular,  it  is  not  exclufive.  AVhen 
there  is  a  great,  but  virtuous  attachment  to  a  perfon  who 
deferves  it,  it  will  make  a  man  not  lefs,  but  more  friendly 
to  all  others,  as  opportunity  or  circumUancts  fliall  call 
him  to  ferve  themi. 

You  will  perhaps  be  furprized  that  as  I  have  fo  often 
exprefied  a  defire  of  your  being  accomplifhed  in  every  re- 
fpaft,  that  I  have  heretofore  faid  nothing  or  but  little  on 
that  politenefs  and  grace  in  behavior,  which  is  fo  much 
talked  of,  and  which,  in  fome  late  writings,  has  been  fo 
highly  extolled.  What  has  been  already  explained  to 
you,  I  hope  will  lay  the  foundation  for  the  mofl  folid, 


of  the  Senior  Class.  631 

valuable  and  durable  politenefs.  Think  of  others  as  rea- 
fon  and  religion  require  you,  and  treat  them  as  it  is  your 
duty  to  do,  and  you  will  not  be  tar  from  a  vvell-polilhed  be- 
havior. As  to  any  thing  further,  that  is  external  in  mode 
and  propriety  of  carriage,  ir  can  never  be  learned  but  by 
intercourfe  widi  tlie  belt  company.  As  to  the  writings 
above  referred  to,  the  chief  of  which  are  Rochefoucault's 
Maxims,  and  Chederfield's  Letters,  I  think  of  them  as 
of  many  other  free  writings,  that  when  viewed  properly 
they  may  be  as  ufeful,  as  by  being  viewed  oiherwife  they 
are  generally  pernicious.  They  contain  a  di,<';elled  lylieni 
of  liypocrify,  and  betray  fuch  pride  and  felf-fuflicicncy, 
and  fuch  hatred  or  contemj)!  of  mankind,  as  may  well 
be  an  antidote  againfl  the  poifon  which  they  mean  to  con- 
vey. Nay,  one  would  think  the  publication  of  fuch  fen- 
timents  is  ridiculous  ;  becaufe  it  is  telling  you  that  they 
dcHre  to  be  polite,  and  at  the  fame  time  that  this  jDolite- 
nefs  confids  in  taking  you  by  the  weak  fide,  and  difplaying 
their  own  addrefs  by  over- reaching  your's. 

I  mull  alio  obferve,  that  fuch  writers  give  in  general, 
a  very  unjuil  as  well  as  difhonorable  view  of  nature  and 
mankind.     I  remember  indeed.  Dean  Swift  fays, 
"  As  Rochefoucoult  his  maxims  drew 
"  From  nature,  I  believe  them  true." 
What  mull  I  lay  to  this  ?     Shall  I  fay  that  he  did  not 
draw  his   maxims  from  nature  ?     I  will   not,  becaufe  I 
think  he  did.  Am  I  oblij^cd  then  to  admit  them  to  be  true  ? 
By  no  means.     It  is  nature,  but  it  is  jull  fuch  a  view  of 
nature,  as  a  man  without  principle  muft  take.     It  is  in 
himfelf  that  all  the  error  and  exaggeration  is  to  be  found. 
Thofe  who  difcover  an  univerfal  jealoufy,  and  indifcri. 
minate  contempt  for  mankind  in  general,  give  very  lit- 
tle reafon  to  think  well  of  themfelves.     Probably  men  are 
neither  fo  good  as  they  pretend,  nor  fo  bad  as  they  are  of- 
ten thought  to  be.     At  any  rate,  candor  in  fentiment  as 
well  as  condudl,  as  it  is  an  important  duty  of  religion,  fo 
it  is  a  wife  maxim  for  the  condudl  of  life  ;  and  1  believe 
thefe  two  things  are  very  feldom  if  ever  found  either  fe- 
parate  from,  or  oppofed  to  each  other. 


632  An  Address  io  the  Students^  l^c. 

The  laft  advice  that  I  fliall  offer  you,  is  to  preferve  a 
lacred  and  inviolable  regard  to  fincerity  and  truth.  Thofe 
who  have  received  their  education  here,  or  at  leafl  who 
have  completed  it,  mufi  knov/  how  mucli  p?.ins  liave  been 
taken  toeftablifh  the  univerfal  and  unalterable  obligation 
of  truth.  This  is  not  however  mentioned  now  to  intro- 
duce tiie  general  fubjeft,  or  to  fliew  the  guilt,  folly  and 
danger  of  deliberate  interefted  falfhood  ;  but  to  warn  you 
againft  the  fmaller  breaches  of  truth  now  fo  very  common, 
r<jch  as  v/ant  of  punduaiity  in  appointments,  breach  of 
promifc  in  fmall  matters,  ofTicious  falfhoods,  that  is,  de- 
ceiving children,  fick  perfons,  or  others,  for  their  good  ; 
jocular  deceptions,  v/hich  are  not  intended  to  continue 
long,  or  be  roatcrially  hurtful  to  others.  Not  one  of  thefe 
is  without  fm  before  God,  and  they  are  much  more  hurt- 
ful than  is  commonly  fuppofed.  So  very  facred  a  thing 
indeed  is  truth,  that  the  vei7  fhadov.-  of  departure  from  it 
is  to  be  avoided.  Suppofe  a  man  only  to  exprefs  his  pre- 
fent  purpofe  as  to  futurity  ;  for  example,  to  fay  he  will  go 
to  fuch  a  place  to-morrow,  though  there  is  no  proper  obli- 
gation given,  nor  any  right  to  require  performance,  yet 
if  he  does  fo  often,  he  will  acquire  the  characler  of  levity, 
and  unfleadinefs,  which  will  operate  much  to  his  difad. 
vantage.  Let  me  therefore  recommend  to  you  a  ftricl, 
univerfal  and  fcrupulous  regard  to  truth — It  vvill  give  dig- 
nity to  your  character — it  will  put  order  into  your  affairs  ; 
it  will  excite  the  moft  unbounded  confidence,  {o  that 
whether  your  view  be  your  own  interefr,  or  the  fervice  of 
others,  it  promifcs  you  the  moil  affured  fuccefs.  I  am  al- 
fo  perfuaded,  that  there  is  no  virtue  that  has  a  more  povv- 
eriul  influence  upon  every  other  ;  and  certainly  lliere  is 
none  by  which  you  can  draw  nearer  to  God  himfelf,  v,  hofe 
difiinguifliing  character  is,  that  he  will  not,  and  he  cin- 
not  lie. 


BND    Of     StCO.ViJ     VOLUME. 


Date  Due 

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